Gou Zhongwen, a former high-ranking member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes and abusing power. The verdict was issued by the Intermediate People's Court in Yancheng, in China's eastern Jiangsu province, according to the Argentine News Agency. The sentence also includes the lifelong deprivation of political rights, the confiscation of all personal property, and the recovery of illegal profits to be handed over to the national treasury. The court determined that between 2009 and 2024, Gou Zhongwen improperly used several influential positions he held, including Vice Mayor of Beijing and Director of the General Administration of Sport of China. During this period, Gou used his positions to help third parties in matters such as business operations and project approvals. In return, he received money and valuables exceeding 236 million yuan (equivalent to about 33 million US dollars). Furthermore, the court established that during his tenure as Vice Mayor of Beijing (between 2012 and 2013), Gou abused his power in project acquisition processes, resulting in significant losses to public property and the interests of the state and the people. During the trial, Gou pleaded guilty and expressed remorse in his final statement. However, clemency was granted in the final sentence due to the defendant's cooperation, who confessed his crimes and returned his illegal gains, among other mitigating circumstances. According to the verdict, Gou's death sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment in accordance with the law, but he will not be granted any further reduction of sentence or parole. The case was heard by the court on August 20.
