China's fraudster lawmaker passed on to courts

Hu Guochu, a senior lawmaker in central China's Hunan Province, has been passed on to judicial authorities for serious offences, according the provincial CPC discipline watchdog. The CPC Hunan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection said Hu was suspected of dereliction of duty and taking bribes in a major elctoral fraud involving more than 500 lawmakers. Hu, then chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hengyang Municipal People's Congress, was one of those in charge of the election. On Saturday, the provincial legislature announced that more than 500 local lawmakers have been disqualified, dismissed or resigned over the fraud. Altogether 527 municipal lawmakers were present at the election of provincial lawmakers during the first session of the 14th Hengyang municipal people's congress between Dec. 28, 2012 and Jan. 3, 2013. Investigation has shown that the 56 lawmakers elected offered 110 million yuan (18 million U.S. dollars) in bribes to 518 municipal lawmakers and another 68 staff.