Bo Xilai appears in court

JINAN. — The Jinan Intermediate People’s Court in east China’s Shandong Province continued to hear the bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power case involving Bo Xilai yesterday morning.Bo (64), is former secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and former member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.

Prosecutors said Bo accepted bribes worth about US$3,5 million from businessmen Tang Xiaolin and Xu Ming and embezzled five million yuan in public funds from the Dalian government. He was also accused of abusing power when dealing with his wife Bogu Kailai’s murder case and the defection of his associate, Wang Lijun, in 2012.

Yesterday, the second day of the trial, prosecutors provided evidence during the court investigation to show that Bo accepted a large sum of money and property from Xu Ming through his wife, Bogu Kailai, and his son, Bo Guagua.

Prosecutors presented documentary evidence and played a video recording in which Bogu Kailai gave testimony while being questioned on Aug. 10 this year.

Prosecutors also read testimony given by witnesses Bogu Kailai and Frenchman Patrick Devillers.
Relevant video and audio evidence were shown in court to show that Xu Ming provided funds for Bogu Kailai to buy a villa in France and that Bo Xilai was aware of this.

Prosecutors, the defendant and his lawyers examined the evidence.
Bo did not acknowledge the accusations, but expressed conflicting views on key facts during his defence.

Prosecutors said that the evidence presented in court was taken legally from clear sources.
The trial adjourned at noon and will resume in the afternoon.

During Thursday’s trial, Bo denied the charge of bribe-taking during the court hearing, which was attended by more than 100 people, including Bo’s five relatives and 19 journalists. The court approved all applications by Bo, who was emotionally stable and physically healthy during the trial, to express his views. — Xinhua.