Pu Bo, former vice governor of Guizhou Province, has been sentenced to life in prison for taking bribes.

Pu Bo, former vice governor of Guizhou Province [File photo: CGTN]

The sentence was announced Thursday by the Intermediate People's Court of Nanjing in Jiangsu Province.

Pu was charged with accepting money and property worth over 71.26 million yuan (10.7 million U.S. dollars) personally or through others between 1998 and 2018.

According to the court, Pu took advantage of his positions to seek benefits for others in business restructuring, project contracting and personnel promotions between 1999 and 2017.

He was also deprived of his political rights for life and had his personal properties confiscated.

The illicit money and properties confiscated will be turned over to the state coffers.

The court said Pu was given a lenient punishment as he confessed, provided additional information about his crimes, showed repentance and voluntarily surrendered his illicit gains, which have all been recovered.

Pu said he accepted the sentence and would not appeal.