Chongqing's former vice mayor and former police chief Wang Lijun stood trial on Tuesday in an open court in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, for bribe-taking and bending the law for selfish ends.

Since the charges of defection and abuse of power involved state secrets, the Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court, according to the law, held a closed-door session on Monday on these charges.

After the court sessions, an adjournment was announced. The judgment will be announced on a day to be decided.

According to the indictment from the Chengdu City People's Procuratorate, the defendant Wang Lijun, then-chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau, had neglected his duty of investigating and suppressing criminal acts and bent the law for personal gain.

Prosecutors said Wang knew perfectly well that Bogu Kailai, the wife of the former Party chief of Chongqing, Bo Xilai, was under serious suspicion of intentional homicide, but he deliberately covered for her so she would not be held legally responsible.

His behavior has violated the first clause of Article 399 of China's Criminal Law, prosecutors said, adding that Wang, as a state functionary who knew state secrets, left his post without authorization and defected to another country's consulate while he was performing official duties.

These circumstances are also serious. His behavior has violated Article 109 of the Criminal Law, according to prosecutors.

The prosecutors said Wang has violated the country's relevant laws and regulations by using technical reconnaissance measures against many people on multiple occasions, either without the approval of authorities or by forging approval documents.

These acts have severely undermined the socialist rule of law, infringed citizens' legitimate rights and interests, and violated the first clause of Article 397 of the Criminal Law, prosecutors said.

Wang, acting as a state functionary, took advantage of his position and illegally accepted money and property worth more than 3.05 million yuan ($484,127), in return for securing benefits for other individuals.

His behavior has violated Article 385 of the Criminal Law.

He should be held criminally responsible on charges of bending the law for selfish ends, defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking, according to prosecutors.

On the other hand, the prosecutors also said that Wang later ordered his subordinates within the Chongqing police force to collect and preserve evidence of the murder case involving Bogu Kailai.

He also reported the possible involvement of Bogu Kailai in the murder to the authorities, provided evidence and willingly assisted in the reinvestigation of the case.

Prosecutors said that given Wang had made important contributions to cracking the case, the penalty for the crime of bending the law for personal gains could be lighter.

After his defection to the US Consulate General in Chengdu, Wang turned himself in and confessed to the crimes he had committed, which could be considered to be a voluntary surrender, according to prosecutors.

According to Article 67 of the Criminal Law, any criminal who voluntarily surrenders may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.

Wang was charged with several crimes and should receive a combined punishment for all offences.

His term of punishment should be in line with Article 69 of the Criminal Law, prosecutors said.

He had produced important clues for exposing serious offences committed by others and played a key part in the investigation of these cases. This can be considered as performing major meritorious services, prosecutors said in the indictment paper.

According to Article 68 of the Criminal Law, he should be given a mitigated punishment, prosecutors said.

After filing the case, the Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court sent duplicates of the indictment to Wang, and informed him of his litigation rights and obligations, informed lawyers they could meet Wang and gave them access to the case file, so as to fully safeguard the defendant's litigation rights.

During the trial, the prosecutors showed relevant evidence, which was cross-examined by Wang Lijun and his lawyers. Both the prosecutor and the accused fully expressed their views.

Wang's family and relatives, journalists, deputies to the people's congress, political advisors, as well as ordinary citizens heard Tuesday's trial.

Xinhua