Bo Xilai shouted against the life sentence 0
Bo Xilai during the trial announcing the life imprisonment sentence yesterday.
According to SCMP, Mr. Bo Xilai was angry and cried after hearing his life sentence.
`This decision is not based on the truth. The court is not open, unfair and disregards the defense of me and my lawyers,` Mr. Bo shouted before being taken away from the court.
This explosive ending marked the end of the trial in which Mr. Bo resolutely pleaded not guilty, attempting to defend himself for five days in late August. The former Chongqing party chief was charged with guilty pleas.
The official social media account of the Jinan Intermediate Court said Bo Xilai was `escorted out of the courtroom` after the life sentence was announced.
Images broadcast on China’s central television station CCTV showed Bo Xilai in handcuffs, wearing an open-necked white shirt, appearing to smile as the judge read the verdict.
Outside the court, the police were deployed more densely than on the day of the trial, proving the sensitivity of the event.
Unexpected verdict
The result of the verdict surprised analysts because they had previously predicted that the former Chongqing Party Secretary could receive a lighter sentence.
Zhang Ming, professor of politics at Renmin University in Beijing, previously predicted that Mr. Bo would be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
`The punishment was heavy for Bo Xilai because he refused to plead guilty. The authorities were not happy about it,` Zhang said, adding that the sentence was an effort to demonstrate the leaders’ determination to fight corruption.
Video: Court pronounces sentence on Bo
As the son of former revolutionary veteran Bo Yibo, Bo Xilai is considered a conservative, not a reformist, member of the party.
Mr. Bo, 64, faces the remainder of his days behind bars even though China’s criminal law allows his sentence to be reduced to 15-20 years after he spent two years in prison and had an `unfair contribution`.
Sources in China’s State Council said leaders considered all possibilities when deciding on Bo’s sentence.
Bo received a life sentence for accepting a bribe of 20.4 million yuan, 15 years in prison for embezzling 5 million yuan, and 7 years in prison for abusing power by arbitrarily dismissing Wang from his position as Chongqing police director.
Bo Xilai has 10 days to file an appeal.
Read more: First-class prison where Bo could be held
Vu Ha
