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Corruption trial for beverage boss delayed on health concern

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-04 09:43

GUANGZHOU: The long-awaited corruption trial for the founder of Jianlibao Group, China's biggest sports beverage producer, was delayed yesterday because of the 70-year-old's poor health.

Li Jingwei, the company's former president, is accused of embezzling more than three million yuan ($440,000) in public funds during 18 years at the company, the Foshan procuratorate said.

The Foshan Intermediate People's Court said Li's trial was delayed after he developed serious health complications. No further details were provided.

However, the court ordered the trial to continue for three other defendants, all of whom were Li's colleagues, accused of being accomplices.

Li has been hospitalized in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong province, since his release from detention due to poor health in 2004. He was first detained in 2002 and charged with bribery and corruption.

The procuratorate has given no reason why it has taken seven years to bring the case to trial.

Li was taken into custody after 75 percent of Jianlibao's shares were sold to a state-owned investment company based in Zhejiang province.

Following his detention in 2002, Li was removed from his post as a deputy to the National People's Congress for "serious violations of discipline and involvement in corruption".

His successor, Zhang Hai, was sentenced to 10 years in jail early in 2007 for misappropriating 206 million yuan ($30.2 million) during his time with the company.

Zhang, regarded as a mogul in the nation's capital market, took over as Jianlibao's president and CEO in 2002. He was removed from his position in August 2004.

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The three other former Jianlibao executives charged with Li, former vice presidents Yang Shiming, Li Qingyuan and Ruan Juyuan, are accused of embezzling more than 11 million yuan under the guise of purchasing life insurance, prosecutors said.

During the trial, Yang was also accused of taking bribes of more than 100,000 yuan from construction developers responsible for building the Jianlibao Plaza in Guangzhou in 1997.

The three had been released by local police after the Foshan procuratorate decided not to charge them in 2004. But they were detained again early this year for their connection with Li Jingwei's case.

The court did not hand down a verdict yesterday. No date has been given for when the trial is expected to resume.

Jianlibao, founded in Sanshui of Guangdong province in 1983, has been a household name since it became the designated beverage for the Chinese sports delegation at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.