The Intermediate People's Court of Xiamen on Friday sentenced Zhao Keming, former deputy mayor of this city in east China's Fujian Province, to death with a two-year reprieve, for taking bribes.

Zhao, 55, was also deprived of his political rights for life and had all personal property confiscated, according to the court verdict.

The court found that Zhao took bribes totaling 4.52 million yuan (US$544,500) between 1995 and 1999 when he served as a deputy mayor of Xiamen and took charge of urban construction.

Zhao, a native of Xiamen city, was arrested for taking bribes in June 2000.

(People's Daily August 8, 2002)