A former senior judge in east China's Anhui Province has gone on trial for taking bribes amounting to over 1.3 million yuan (US$162,000).

Zhang Zimin, former senior judge and president of the Fuyang Intermediate People's Court, is accused of graft for arranging jobs, promotions, and intervening in trials, according to the Liuan Intermediate People's Court.

Following Wednesday's trial, a verdict is still awaited. Numerous other judges, including several under Zhang's supervision, are also involved in similar charges.

Shang Jun was charged with taking bribes of 906,500 yuan (US$114,000) between 1992 and 2005, the Anqing Intermediate People's Court heard.

Shang was also accused of accepting property worth 980,000 yuan (US$124,000) from unidentified sources.

Shang took the bribes when she was a senior court judge and president of an intermediate people's court. She later took the posts of deputy secretary at the Fuyang City Committee of the CPC and deputy director of the Anhui Provincial Health Bureau.

Former judge and court president Liu Jiayi was charged with taking bribes of nearly 1 million yuan (US$126,000) while another former judge and vice president of the court, Wang Jianmin, was accused of taking bribes totaling over 1.3 million yuan (US$164,000).

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2006)