By Muhammad Abubakar
A military court in China has sentenced former Defence Minister Li Shangfu to death for corruption, with a two-year reprieve on the execution of the sentence, state broadcaster China Central Television reported.
Li, who previously served as one of China’s top military officials, was found guilty of corruption-related offences following an investigation by Chinese authorities. Under China’s legal system, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve is often commuted to life imprisonment if the convict is deemed to have shown good behaviour during the suspension period.
The ruling marks another major development in China’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted senior political and military figures in recent years. Li was removed from office in 2023 after months out of public view, fuelling speculation about investigations into alleged misconduct within the military establishment.