Beijing: A former Beijing vice Mayor in charge of overseeing Olympic construction projects has gone on trial for corruption, a court clerk said today.

The trial of Liu Zhihua began yesterday at the Intermediate Court in the city of Hengshui outside Beijing, a clerk who gave only his surname, Wang, told The Associated Press by telephone.

The clerk declined to give any additional details, saying he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Liu had been dismissed from his post in 2006,kicked out of the Communist Party, and handed over to prosecutors to face bribery charges.

State media has reported that Liu took several million yuan in bribes and helped his mistress to seek profit in construction projects.

The government squelched all reporting on Liu s prosecution in the months leading up to the August Olympic Games to avoid tarnishing what it portrayed as China s star-turn on the global stage.

Beijing officials said Liu s alleged misdeeds had nothing to do with Olympic projects, but his dismissal put a cloud over preparations for the games and prompted authorities to ratchet up anti corruption efforts.

Venue construction accounted for only a small share of the USD 38 billion that Beijing reportedly spent on urban renewal and infrastructure construction for the Olympics.

Many officials have been charged with corruption in construction and real estate trades in the rapidly regenerating capital.
Source : PTI