A local chief justice has been sentenced to nine years in jail on Friday for taking 588,000 yuan (73,500 U.S. dollars) in bribes by a court in Fuyang city, east China's Anhui Province.

The Yingquan District Court of Fuyang city heard that Liu Yu accepted bribes from 1998 to 2004 while serving as chief justice of Funan County Court. Liu became chief justice of Yingdong District Court in early 2005

He was charged early this year and pleaded guilty, the court heard.

Liu abused his position by taking bribes in return for awarding the contract to construct the office building of Yingnan County Court.

Liu had also handed down lenient sentences to convicted criminals in return for bribes, according to the court verdict.

The court also found that Liu abused his power in promoting court officials who offered him bribes.

Source: Xinhua