Former Shanghai chief procurator jailed for taking bribes

Zhang Bencai, the former chief procurator of the Shanghai People's Procuratorate, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribe-taking on Tuesday by a court in Fujian Province.

He was also fined 4 million yuan (US$560,400) and his illegal proceeds and benefits will be confiscated and turned over to the national treasury, the Intermediate People's Court of Xiamen in Fujian Province ruled.

The court said trials had found that from 2005 to 2020, Zhang had taken advantage of the various posts he held, such as Party chief and editor-in-chief of Procuratorate Daily, the Supreme People's Procuratorate's video center and general office director, as well as chief procurator of the Shanghai People's Procuratorate, to assist others in affairs including land development, business operation, project contracting and job transfers. In exchange, he had accepted money and valuables with a total value of 48.32 million yuan, said the court.