Li Zhen, former director of the State Taxation Bureau of Hebei Province in north China, was executed Thursday for taking huge bribes and embezzling public funds.

Court investigations showed that by taking advantage of his position as a government official, Li took bribes totaling over 8.148 million yuan (US$985,000) and misappropriated public funds totaling 29.67 million yuan (US$3.59 million), of which 2.7 million yuan (US$326,213) made its way into his own pocket.

Over US$416,000 of illicit money was confiscated from Li's home after he was arrested on March 30, 2000.

The Intermediate People's Court of Tangshan City in Hebei Province sentenced Li to death at the first trial on Aug. 30, 2002.

Li appealed to the Hebei Provincial Higher People's Court, but was rejected last month, after which the Supreme People's Court examined the case and upheld the original death sentence.

(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2003)