China: Former Top Chinese Judge Facing Trial for Corruption

A former top judge in China is expected to stand trial in March for allegedly taking bribes.

52-year-old Huang Songyou, from southeastern Guangdong province was the deputy head of China’s Supreme People’s Court. He was just two ranks below China’s top judge.

In October 2008, Huang was placed under investigation for allegedly abusing his power, taking bribes, and living a “corrupt and lavish life.”

Now after more than a year of investigations, Huang has been charged with corruption. He is accused of accepting the equivalent of $586,000 U.S. dollars in bribes, according to Chinese media.

Huang is the highest-ranking judge to be charged with corruption since the Communist Party took control of China 60 years ago.

According to state-run media Xinhua, a 2009 report by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate shows that one fifth of the country’s bribery cases originated from the regime’s judiciary system. Nearly a third of these cases involved judges.

(NTDTV)