Bo’s prosecutors call for ‘severe’ punishment over lack of contrition
Print Edition
Prosecutors demanded a heavy sentence for ousted senior Party official Bo Xilai as his trial ended yesterday, saying his “whimsical” challenge to charges of taking bribes, corruption and abuse of power flew in the face of the evidence.
Bo was brought down last year by a murder scandal in which his wife Bogu Kailai was convicted of poisoning British businessman Neil Heywood.
Bo, who was Communist Party chief of the southwestern metropolis of Chongqing, had mounted an unexpectedly feisty defence since his trial began last Thursday, denouncing testimony by his wife as the ravings of a mad woman.
The court, announcing the end of the five-day trial, said the verdict would come at a later date. It did not provide details, but that could be within the next few weeks.
Bo had repeatedly said he was not guilty of any of the charges laid against him, although he admitted to making some bad decisions and to shaming his country by his handling of former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun, who first told Bo that Bogu had probably murdered Heywood. Wang fled to the US consulate in Chengdu in February last year after confronting Bo with evidence that Bogu was involved in the murder.
Summing up, the prosecutor said Bo should not be shown leniency as he had recanted admissions of guilt provided ahead of the trial.
“Over the past few days of the trial, the accused Bo Xilai has not only flatly denied a vast amount of conclusive evidence and facts of his crimes, he has also repudiated his pre-trial written testimony and materials,” the court cited the prosecutor as saying. “We take this opportunity to remind Bo Xilai: the facts of the crimes are objective, and can’t be shifted around on your whim.”
The prosecutor said: “The defendant’s crimes are extremely grave, and he also refuses to admit guilt. As such, the circumstances do not call for a lenient punishment but a severe one, in accordance with the law.”
In his final address to the court, Bo admitted to personal failings.
“I know I’m an imperfect man,” Bo said. “I’m very subjective and bad-tempered. I have committed serious errors and mistakes ... I did not manage my family and subordinates well, I have made big mistakes and am sorry to the Party and the people.”
‘Psychological pressure’
The prosecution alleged that Bo took more than 20 million yuan (US$3.27 million) in bribes from two businessmen, embezzled another 5 million yuan from a government building project, and abused his power in trying to cover up his wife’s crime.
Bo said that he had initially admitted to anti-corruption investigators that he received bribes as he had been “under psychological pressure”.
Bo also said he had been framed by businessman Tang Xiaolin, who he called a “mad dog.” Bo said he had offered his confession about accepting bribes from Tang because he wanted to “cooperate, to get the understanding” of the Party.
“At the time, I had a spark of hope, I hoped to keep my Party membership, to keep my political life,” Bo said, according to the court’s transcript.
Defense lawyers, hired with Bo’s consent, paid Bo more than 20 visits before and during the trial. They said they had fully exchanged views on defense strategies with Bo during the visits.
Li Guifang and Wang Zhaofeng of the Beijing-based DeHeng Law Offices said Bo’s family hired several lawyers during the investigation stage of the case and Bo chose the two of them as his attorneys.
“In court, we defended Bo Xilai in accordance with facts and the law, and safeguarded the defendant’s litigation rights and other lawful rights and interests,” Li said. “During the trial, our defense centered on the charges against the defendant raised by prosecutors and related litigation.”
Defense attorneys had fully expressed their opinions on the basis of facts, especially where facts were unclear and evidence insufficient, he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
