Former Beijing vice-mayor Liu Zhihua has been sentenced to death, suspended for two years, for corruption, local media reported Sunday, citing a Saturday court ruling.

Liu, 59, was charged with taking bribes of about 6.97 million yuan ($1 million) when he was vice-mayor of Beijing and director of the management committee of Zhongguancun Science Park from 1999 to 2006, according to Hengshui intermediate people's court in Hebei province.

The bribes were pocketed by Liu and his mistress Wang Jianrui, the court said in the verdict, adding that Liu abused his power to secure project contracts, loans and promotions for others.

Wang's case was heard on Wednesday in the same court, but the court has yet to give a verdict.

On Saturday, the hearing lasted about 30 minutes, and pleas by Liu's lawyer were rejected, Beijing Times reported.

Liu's lawyer Mo Shaoping said Liu has not decided on an appeal.

Liu was sacked from the post of Beijing vice-mayor in June 2006 and expelled from the Party six months later.

He started his career as a coal mine worker 40 years ago; and enrolled in a Beijing college in 1977.

He had been head of the Beijing labor bureau, Party secretary of Xicheng district in Beijing and secretary-general of Beijing municipal government.

In 1999, he was elected vice-mayor of the capital, a job that oversaw construction, real estate, sports and traffic projects around the city.

(Xinhua News Agency & China Daily October 20, 2008)