Case closed for former Chongqing police chief

The trial of Wang Lijun, the most senior Chinese communist party official ever to seek asylum at a foreign consulate, ended on Tuesday in Chengdu, Financial Times reported. Wang did not contest charges of defection, abuse of power, bribe taking and “bending the law for selfish gains.” The verdict for the former Chongqing police chief will be announced soon, according to the court. Analysts said his almost certain conviction could come with a death sentence. Wang fled in February to the US consulate in Chengdu where he requested asylum on the claim that then-Chongqing Communist Party Chief Bo Xilai planned to have him killed. Evidence conveyed during the 36 hours Wang spent in the consulate eventually led to the arrest and conviction of Bo’s wife, Gu Kailai, in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. Bo has since been stripped of his government posts and awaits review from the party.