China sentences two ex-defence ministers to death over corruption charges

China’s military court has sentenced Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, two former defence ministers, to death with a two-year reprieve over corruption charges.

Their sentences were separately handed down on Thursday in Beijing after nearly two years of investigation.

A death sentence with a two-year reprieve is usually reserved in China for serious crimes, including major corruption, premeditated murder, and large-scale drug trafficking.

During the two‑year reprieve, the prisoner is effectively under threat of execution but, in practice, they remain in prison rather than being executed immediately.

According to the court ruling, the sentences would be reduced to life imprisonment without a chance of release or parole upon the expiration of the two-year reprieve period.

The former defence ministers were also stripped of their political rights for life, with all of their personal property confiscated.

Asides from being members of the Central Military Commission, both Wei and Li were also former state councillors.

Wei was convicted of accepting bribes, while Li was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes.

The court did not state how much was involved in the bribery cases, but the last confirmed case of a high-ranking official to receive a suspended death sentence was Gu Junshan, former deputy director of the general logistics department.

Gu’s corruption case reportedly involved over 600 million yuan (approximately $98 million).