Han Feng, former sales director at the tobacco monopoly bureau in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, is escorted to court for his trial on Sept 2 at the Intermediate People's Court of Nanning, capital of Guangxi. [Photo: chinanews.com]
A former government official of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in South China, whose diaries detailing sexual escapades, hard drinking and receiving bribes were leaked online, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on Tuesday, with the confiscation of 100, 000 yuan ($15,000) of personal assets and 700,000 yuan of bribes.
In his first trial at the Nanning Intermediate People's Court, Han Feng, 53, former sales director at the tobacco monopoly bureau in Guangxi, was found guilty of accepting 695,000 yuan and a 319,000 yuan apartment in bribes from companies contracted to refurbish or construct office buildings when he worked in the regional cities of Qinzhou and Laibin.
The court ordered the recovery of money Han had received and for the apartment to be auctioned, with the proceeds to be turned over to the State.
Han took the initiative of handing over 591,807 yuan following his arrest in March after he was rumbled over the Internet.
The court ruled on his case with leniency since he had voluntarily returned the bribes he had received.
Han's downfall was triggered by diaries he allegedly kept having been posted online.
They contained detailed entries on his sexual relationships with five women and accounts on the bribes he had received.
The diaries covered the period from September 2007 to January 2008, when Han served as the director of the Laibin tobacco monopoly bureau.
"Wang asked me for lunch at the Guijing Hotel. There were just the two of us. He gave me two bottles of Moutai liquor and 50,000 yuan. I deposited 30,000 yuan and took 20,000 home," read an entry dated on Sept 16, 2007.
On Dec 29, 2007, the diarist wrote: "2007 has been a good year. Work is going smoothly. Income is as high as 200,000 yuan. It's been a lucky year with women. I need to pay attention to my health with so many sex partners."
The diaries also revealed a corrupt lifestyle involving drinking parties with local government officials, police officers and the directors of tobacco companies, as well as business trips that were actually taken for leisure.
Hanxianzi (an alias) exposed Han by posting entries from the diaries on an online forum on Feb 27 after identifying himself as the husband of one of his conquests.
Hanxianzi explained his motive was to avenge Han having had a sexual relationship with his wife.
The salacious post became an instant hit, generating heated responses from other Internet users and attracting enough media attention that government authorities stepped in to investigate.
