The mistress of the former deputy chief engineer at the now-defunct railways ministry went on trial yesterday in Beijing for covering up her lover's corruption, a report said.

Luo Fei, 32, a former singer, was the first of several senior officials' mistresses to stand trial at Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court, Beijing Evening News reported.

She was charged with helping hide up to 1.98 million yuan (US$324,918) in ill-gotten money with Zhang Shuguang, also head of the transport bureau at the now defunct ministry, which was disbanded in March due to massive corruption among senior officials.

Few details about the trial were released but the report said the money has been confiscated and that the court did not announce a verdict.

Prosecutors said Luo had known the money came from Yang Jianyu, the boss of Guangzhou Zhongche Railway Vehicles Equipment Co Ltd, but she still covered up the bribes between 2007 and January 2011.

Zhang was tried on September 10, but a verdict has not been announced. Zhang pleaded guilty to accepting 47.55 million yuan in bribes between 2000 and 2011, the report said.

Among the bribes, Yang had given him cash and goods valued at 10.50 million yuan. In return, Zhang helped Yang get contracts for air conditioners on trains, the report said.

During Zhang's trial, Yang testified he gave money to Luo in order to curry favor with Zhang. He told the court he gave her 10 watches, 300,000 yuan to buy a car and a 16,000 yuan monthly salary even though she didn't work at his company.

She was placed under police supervision at her residence on June 13, 2011, four months after Zhang was suspended from his post while he was investigated for corruption. She was then detained on June 24, 2011.

If convicted, she faces up to three years in jail.

Zhang also admitted accepting 2 million yuan from Ge Jianming, boss of KTK Group, a railway equipment maker.

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