Former Guangdong adviser gets suspended death sentence

Zhu Mingguo, a former top political adviser from South China's Guangdong province, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes valued at more than 141 million yuan ($21 million).

Zhu also was found to own more than 91 million yuan worth of properties and that he failed to reveal their sources, according to the court verdict.

Zhu's hair has turned grey and he looks much older since he was placed under investigation about 2 years ago. The 59-year-old former senior official was domineering while in office.

Zhu's punishment was reduced due to his good attitude regarding his crimes and because he actively refunded the bribe money after he was detained and put under investigation, according to the verdict.

All the properties Zhu illegally gained were confiscated and Zhu was deprived of his rights for life.

Zhu was investigated on suspicion of accepting large bribes between 2002 an 2014, when he was in power, through helping others bid on construction projects and land development and facilitating officials' promotions.

Zhu was put under investigation in November 2014 for serious violations of Party discipline and taking large bribes. He was removed from his post in December that same year.

Zhu, born in the city of Wuzishan in Hainan province in May 1957, is a member of the Li ethnic group.

Zhu is the second top political adviser in Guangdong province who has been sentenced to death with a 2-year-reprieve.

Chen Shaoji, former chairman of Guangdong Provincial Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was sentenced to death with a 2-year reprieve for accepting large bribes in July of 2010.

Zhu's case raised great concern at home and abroad and rocked the political arena in prosperous Guangdong province, China's window of reform and opening to the outside world.

Zhu, a ministerial official, is the highest ranking official investigated in Guangdong in recent years.

Zhu was once deputy Party chief of Guangdong province and secretary of the Guangdong Party Commission for Discipline Inspection before he took office as the province's top political advisor in 2013.

Before Zhu transferred to Guangdong in 2006, he was a member of the standing committee of Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and director-general of the Chongqing municipal Bureau of Public Security from 2001-06.

Zhu was deputy governor of Hainan province from 1998-2001.