Former deputy head of the powerful National Development and Reform Commission Liu Tienan confessed in court Wednesday to bribery, Reuters reported, citing a court transcript. Prosecutors charged Liu, sacked in May of last year, and his son of taking RMB35.6 million (US$5.8 million) in bribes in dealings with various companies including a Toyota Motor Corp (TM.NYSE) joint venture. Liu was the first ministerial-level official to face investigation after Xi Jinping became Communist Party head in late 2012. He could face a death sentence upon conviction, but the public prosecutor said in an opinion that Liu had been cooperative in handing over evidence to investigators, so the court would be leinient.