It reads like Hong Kong’s “Infernal Affairs (Êó†Èó¥ÈÅì)” movie script, or that of U.S. copycat “The Departed,” but this story may well be true, heart-wrenching and hair-bristling. If time again hammers down its judgment, presumably soon, the lead character, Liaoning Provincial Discipline Committee Party Secretary Wang Weizhong (ËæΩÂÆÅÁúÅÁ∫™Âßî‰π¶ËÆ∞ÁéãÂî؉ºó), may reinforce Li Xinde’s claim to be the highest corrupt official to date among his big fish list.
An earlier CDT translation told Li’s story (see end, with link) about two Dandong policemen, who were key players in cracking a case of gang violence, being thrown in jail out of some “supernatural force.” Now Li learned that that “supernatural force” may be coming from Wang, former party secretary of Dandong.
But a plethora of questions still remain to be answered, by Li or others, such as why busted ringleader Zhou Jingzhu (Âë®ÊôØÁè†)’s ill-gotten legacy of 20 million yuan, after his mysterious death in jail, went to his sister Zhou Shuqing (Âë®Ê∑ëÊ∏Ö), who was also arrested, then released on parole to take care of her brother’s funeral. Ms. Zhou, however, made a powerful statement “punishing” the police squad who cracked down on her brother. Why was Ms. Zhou, one of the seven brothers and sisters, the one set free to attend to the funeral affairs? And why was it a piece of cake for Ms. Zhou, again one of the many relatives of Mr. Zhou, to get almost all the illegal gains of her brother? And why are Ms. Zhou and another sister of hers, both members of the same gang group, both still free and unscathed? …
It has been learned, from Mr. Zhou’s chauffeur in Dandong, that Wang, after his promotion to Shenyang, almost always used Mr. Zhou’s car shuttling between Shenyang and Dandong. The buddy-ship between Ms. Zhou and Wang was very strong, the driver said.
Song Yingwei, a 82-year-old veteran revolutionary and once a sort of mentor to Wang, also heard of Wang’s affair with Ms. Zhou. Song also witnessed a dramatic change in Wang from a time when Wang sought advice from Song in Dandong in personnel appointment to years later when Wang stopped visiting the retired cadre.
Ms. Zhou reportedly handed in 740,000 yuan to Wang in the wake of her brother’s arrest. Past bribes include buying expensive suits for Wang, footing the bills of sending his kid to study overseas, etc. No wonder that Ms. Zhou, during her short stay in a detention center, made numerous calls to someone for help.
Local rumors call Mr. Zhou a “cousin (Â∞èËàÖÂ≠ê)” of Wang, who as Dandong’s boss years ago helped arrange a bank loan to Mr. Zhou, who earlier blew up at banking officials who rejected the application, to build a gangster’s night club.
Mr. Zhou was arrogant and obnoxious and invited trouble only when, in June 2001, he beat up two Japanese businessmen, who filed a strong complaint in Beijing via Japan’s embassy to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The case thus attracted high attention and an investigation squad in Dandong soon put Zhou behind bars.
Zhou suddenly died while in police custody. Ms. Zhou, the sister, called Wang for help, and allegedly even went to great lengths to blackmail Wang, saying if he doesn’t help, she would expose dirt on him and bring him down too. Soon, Wang lent his hand, and Ms. Zhou breezed out of jail.
And Wang has his buddies down the line in the government offices to help as well. Zhu Wenjie (Êú±ÊñáÊù∞), former Dandong Police Chief and now police chief in Anshan City) and a close associate of Wang, oftentimes summoned the investigation squad officials into his office to preach the importance of keeping secrets regarding Wang sealed. If the information leaked out, the leaker would assume “political responsibility,” Zhu stressed to his comrades.
Now let’s wait and see whether Wang will be brought to justice as a real godfather who provides shelter for gangs. [Full Text in Chinese]
– Also CDT’s Policemen Lose to Criminals
