[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 11



CHINA----execution

China executes banker for economic crime


A former official with the Agriculture Bank of China was executed Tuesday
for taking bribes and embezzling bank funds worth about 15 million yuan
($2 million; 1.45 million euros), a newspaper reported.

Wen Mengjie, 50, had been in charge of information technology at the
bank's Beijing office from February, 1999 to February, 2004.

He was found guilty last year of accepting bribes worth 10.73 million yuan
over the purchase of electronic equipment and computer software, and
embezzling another 4.32 million yuan while overseeing the purchase of
ATMs.

Wen's execution was reported by the Beijing Evening News.

China continues to execute people for economic, nonviolent and political
crimes, despite additional judicial oversight and official avowals of
greater restraint in ordering the death penalty.

In July, the country's former top drug regulator was executed for taking
millions of yuan (dollars, euros) in bribes to approve substandard
medicines, including an antibiotic that killed at least 10 people.

(source: Associated Press)