China’s military court has sentenced two former defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, to death with a two-year reprieve over corruption-related offences.
The sentences were delivered separately on Thursday in Beijing after investigations that lasted nearly two years.
In China, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve is commonly imposed for severe crimes such as large-scale corruption, premeditated murder, and major drug trafficking offences.
Under the arrangement, the convicts remain imprisoned during the two-year period instead of facing immediate execution.
According to the court, the sentences will automatically be reduced to life imprisonment without parole after the expiration of the reprieve period.
The court also stripped both former officials of their political rights for life and ordered the confiscation of all their personal assets.
Apart from serving as defence ministers, Wei and Li were members of the Central Military Commission and also held positions as state councillors.
Wei was found guilty of accepting bribes, while Li was convicted of both accepting and offering bribes.
Although the court did not disclose the exact amount involved in the cases, the last known senior official to receive a similar suspended death sentence was Gu Junshan, former deputy director of the general logistics department.
Gu’s corruption case reportedly involved more than 600 million yuan, estimated at about $98 million.