BEIJING, March. 22 -- A former government official accused of taking huge bribes in return for government posts would stand trial in a Beijing court Tuesday, the Beijing News reported.

    Ma De, former Party secretary of Suihua City in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, was at the center of "China's biggest money-for-positions case since 1949," said the newspaper.

    The amount of money Ma allegedly took from his subordinates reached nearly 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million), said the newspaper. Dozens of officials in Suihua were involved, including at least half of the officials above the level of department chief.

Tian Fengshan	Han Guizhi

    The case also involves former land minister Tian Fengshan and former CPPCC chairwoman of Heilongjiang, Han Guizhi. Tian and Han had been dismissed and were under investigation.

    The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court will hear the charges.

    Meanwhile, former Suihua Mayor Wang Shenyi will stand trial in the same court Wednesday for allegedly taking bribes totaling more than 2 million yuan.

(Source: Shenzhen Daily)