A former head of the communication bureau of Guizhou Province, southwest China, was sentenced to death Monday for embezzlement of a huge sum of public funds.

Lu Wanli was found to take, on 33 separate occasions, bribes in cash and goods valued 25.59 million yuan (US$3.1 million) between June 1998 and January 2002, according to the Intermediate People's Court of Guiyang.

Besides, Lu failed to convince that another 26.51 million yuan (US$3.2 million) worth of property under his name was legal gains.

Lu was former director of the Guizhou Communication Bureau and general manager of the Guizhou Expressway Development Company.

In early December 2001 Lu became aware that an investigation was underway to probe his economic problems and fled overseas via Hong Kong in late January 2002 with false papers.

According to the court ruling, Lu also had all his personal property confiscated and his political rights deprived for life.

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2004)