Life of Guangzhou - Village Official Kicked out of Party

A former village official accused by others of embezzling 30 million yuan (US$4.4 million) during his 20-year tenure broke disciplinary rules and laws by taking bribes, embezzling public property and seeking benefits for friends, Bao'an District disciplinary supervising authority of Guangdong Province's Shenzhen City said.

Chen Caixing, former Party secretary of Shenzhen's Shayi Village, has been referred to police for further investigation, Guangzhou Daily reported.

The Bao'an disciplinary authority didn't reveal the amount of the money involved, but said Chen was kicked out of the Party on February 4.

Chen was put on bail on February 8 over health problems.

Some villagers had posted complaints that Chen had embezzled millions of public funds, prompting the disciplinary inspection. He was said to own several luxury apartments in Shenzhen and Hong Kong as well as 500-million-yuan worth of holdings in several enterprises, 500-million-yuan worth of land and factories worth 1 billion yuan.

But hundreds of Shayi villagers took to the streets last December pleading support for Chen, praising him as helping transform their poor fishing village into the richest one in south China.

(By Jane Chen)

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