Former official sentenced to life imprisonment for graft

SHANGHAI -- Yang Zhenchao, former vice governor of east China's Anhui province, was given a life sentence for accepting bribes, graft and abuse of power on Wednesday.

Yang was also deprived of his political rights for life and all his personal assets were confiscated, according to a statement from the First Intermediate People's Court of Shanghai.

The court found Yang guilty of taking advantage of his various positions in Anhui to seek benefits for entities and individuals from 2008 to 2016.

In return, Yang took bribes up to 80.8 million yuan (around 12 million US dollars), it said.

The court also found Yang guilty of illegally possessing public assets worth over 1 million yuan and causing a loss of 915 million yuan to public funds in his abuse of power.

The court showed leniency in the ruling, taking into consideration his confession, remorse and the fact that he voluntarily reported information on others' crimes.