FORMER TOBACCO OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR EMBEZZLEMENT IN EAST CHINA

a provincial court upheld the death sentence of a tobacco official in east China's Fulian Province. Xu Ximing was convicted of embezzling public funds worth more than 155 million yuan (about 20 million U.S. dollars) and taking bribes worth about 3.4 million yuan. Although Xu admitted his crimes, he failed to return more than 5.68 million yuan. Since Jan. 1 all death sentences must receive the approval of the Supreme People's Court.