Former head of China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration prosecuted

A public prosecution has been initiated against Ling Chengxing, former head of China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, on charges of bribery and abuse of power.

Following the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP)'s designation, the Changchun Municipal People's Procuratorate in northeast China's Jilin Province recently filed a lawsuit against him with the Intermediate People's Court of Changchun, according to an SPP statement released Monday.

The lawsuit follows the conclusion of an investigation by the National Commission of Supervision into Ling's case.

According to prosecutors, Ling had exploited his position as vice governor of Jiangxi Province, as well as his roles in the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration and the China National Tobacco Corporation, to secure benefits for others and accept "extremely large" bribes.

He was also accused of abusing his authority at the state-owned tobacco corporation, causing "especially serious losses" to state assets and interests.