Accused of corruption and taking bribes A former Chinese minister was sentenced to death with a deferred execution

Chinese state television reported that authorities had sentenced a former Chinese justice minister to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes and helping criminals, including his brother, conceal illegal activity.

A former Chinese justice minister has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes and helping criminals including his brother conceal illegal activity, state television reported Thursday.

Fu Zhenghua's conviction adds to a series of high-ranking officials who have been punished for corruption in a long-running crackdown launched after President Xi Jinping took power in late 2012.

China Central Television said on its website that Fu, 67, had pleaded guilty to abusing his powers in roles including as a minister and Beijing's police chief in 2005 to conceal the crimes of his brother and others.

In return, Fu received money and property amounting to 117 million yuan ($16.5 million), the official China Daily reported in July.

Thursday's report and previous news accounts gave no details of what Fu's brother, Fu Weihua, was accused of doing.

Usually, death sentences are commuted with reprieve to long prison terms if the convict is deemed to have been reformed.

China Central Television added that Fu would be sentenced to life in prison without parole if his sentence was commuted.