A court in east China's Anhui Province Monday sentenced a former city Party chief to life in prison for accepting bribes.

Zhou Guangquan, former Communist Party of China Chaohu City Committee secretary, had been found guilty of taking 4.1 million yuan (600,200 U.S. dollars) and 80,000 U.S. dollars in bribes, the Anqing Intermediate People's Court said.

Zhou also possessed a further 2.4 million yuan and 70,000 U.S. dollars he has failed to account for, the court said.

The court found that Zhou had used his power to seek preferment for people who gave him bribes.

All Zhou's personal property was confiscated and he was also deprived of political rights for life.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2009)