JINAN (China): A Chinese court sentenced on Sunday former leading politician Bo Xilai to life in prison after a sensational corruption trial that exposed intrigue and lavish lifestyles in the higher levels of the ruling party.

Bo, a member of the Communist Party’s 25-strong elite politburo before his dramatic downfall, was convicted of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.

“The court sentences Bo Xilai to life imprisonment for taking bribes, deprives him of his political rights for life and confiscates all his property,” the Jinan Intermediate People’s Court said on its verified page on Sina Weibo, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

As a state servant Bo “abused his power (and) caused heavy losses to the interests of the country and the people”, it said, adding the circumstances of the case were “particularly serious”. Bo was ousted from office last year after a scandal which saw his wife convicted of the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.

The court sentenced Bo to life after finding him guilty of taking 20.4 million yuan ($3.3 million) in bribes.

It also sentenced him to 15 years in prison for embezzlement and seven for abuse of power. The life sentence was more severe than many analysts had expected.

Evidence of bribes: Bo’s trial last month revealed a lifestyle in excess of what Communist Party officials on modest salaries should be able to afford, with evidence of bribes from rich businessmen, including a close associate who bought his family a villa in France.

In the proceedings, Bo described a love triangle between his wife and his top aide, while the court said he had acted to suppress an investigation into his wife’s murder of the British businessman who had helped Bo manage property abroad.

Bo had also championed a leftist revival during his tenure as party chief of the southwestern mega-city of Chongqing, sending thousands of officials to the countryside to get closer to ordinary people, and holding mass concerts of “red songs” praising former leader Mao Zedong.

A photo posted by the court showed a handcuffed Bo, 64, dressed in an open-collar white shirt, black trousers and black athletic shoes, in the court surrounded by four uniformed police officers. State TV later showed footage of Bo listening to the proceedings as two officers held him in place.

At a press conference after the verdict, court spokesman Liu Yanjie said Bo did not indicate in court whether he would appeal. His lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment.—AFP