Ally of China's disgraced Bo sentenced on graft charges

BEIJING (REUTERS) - An ally of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has received a suspended death sentence for taking millions of yuan in bribes, a Beijing lawyer said on Thursday, in the latest fallout from one of China's biggest political scandals.

Tang Jianhua, once deputy police chief in the southwestern city of Chongqing, where Bo was Communist Party chief, was found guilty of taking 17 million yuan (S$2.5 million) in bribes, according to Mr Li Zhuang, a lawyer and prominent opponent of Bo during his time as party boss.

The sentence was handed down by a Chongqing court more than a month ago, Mr Li said.

Asked about the sentencing, an official in Chongqing city's propaganda department said "we are not clear about this so far."