China Indicts Former Politburo Member Ma Xingrui on Bribery Charges

Ma Xingrui, a former member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo, has been formally charged with accepting bribes, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate said Thursday, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

Prosecutors in Yichang, a city in central Hubei province, filed the case with the Yichang Intermediate People’s Court after an investigation by the National Commission of Supervision, China Daily reported. The top prosecutor’s office had ordered Ma’s arrest and assigned the case to Yichang.

The allegations

Prosecutors allege Ma used a string of senior posts to seek benefits for others and accept bribes of an “exceptionally large” amount. The posts named include general manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the state contractor behind the country’s space program, Party secretary of Shenzhen, governor of Guangdong province and Politburo member. Chinese officials did not publish an amount.

Ma most recently served as deputy head of the party’s Central Leading Group for Rural Affairs, Xinhua said. He earlier led the party in Xinjiang.

From investigation to court

Ma was placed under investigation in April and expelled from the party and public office in July, China Daily reported. Party leaders confirmed the expulsion last week in a communique from the fifth plenum, which listed him among 33 expelled officials, Reuters reported. Others on that list included former senior military leader Zhang Youxia and former senior diplomat Liu Jianchao.

Party investigators have accused Ma of concealing information during inquiries, misusing influence over appointments and helping relatives buy property below market prices. Reuters described the case as part of President Xi Jinping’s stepped-up campaign against graft.

Developing: No trial date has been announced.

Sources: Xinhua, China Daily, Reuters via The Straits Times, AP.