Former Liuzhou municipal committee secretary Zheng Junkang was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison and fined 2 million yuan ($280,000) for bribery and abuse of power in the first-instance judgment of the Intermediate People's Court of Beihai City in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Thursday.

The court ordered the confiscation of the proceeds from Zheng's crimes, directing them to be turned over to the national treasury.

Through the trial proceedings, it was uncovered that from 2009 to 2021, Zheng illicitly amassed over 51.31 million yuan by leveraging his positions as the deputy secretary, mayor and secretary of the Liuzhou municipal committee to provide unlawful assistance in project contracting and planning adjustments to relevant entities and individuals.

Between late 2015 and 2021, Zheng violated regulations by initiating the construction of the Liuzhou urban rail transit project through debt financing without the required approval from the State Council, resulting in significant financial losses and adverse impacts.

The Intermediate People's Court of Beihai City concluded that Zheng's actions constituted crimes of bribery and abuse of power, with an especially large amount of bribes and severe abuse of power.

Given Zheng's truthful confession upon arrest, the return of some unacquired bribe amounts, his admission of guilt and remorse, and the full repayment of illicit funds, the court opted for a lighter sentence in accordance with the law.