Renowned judge Ma Wen appointed to head Bo Xilai investigation
The 64-year-old Ma Wen has been likened to a legendary judge from 1,000 years ago. (Photo/CFP)
The case against the former Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai is being headed by Ma Wen, a judge renowned for her investigative skills.
Sources in Beijing claim that the government is intent on laying to rest the scandal involving the fallen political heavyweight before the once-in-a-decade leadership transition at the upcoming 18th National Congress in the fall. Bo, who was once tipped for a top leadership position, is under investigation for unspecified "serious discipline violations," while his wife Gu Kailai has been arrested on suspicion of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood, a crime Bo allegedly tried to cover up. Bo's former police chief, Wang Lijun, the man who triggered his boss's downfall by his dramatic flight to the US consulate in Chengdu in February, is said to be facing treason charges for attempted defection.
Bo is reportedly being detained at a special location as he awaits the results of the official investigation, and has not been placed under "double regulation" — a form of detention traditionally used by the Communist Party when investigating the actions of officials — as had been initially suspected.
To ensure the case runs smoothly, sources say Ma Wen, the deputy secretary of the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and head of the Ministry of Supervision, has taken over the handling of the investigation.
Ma previously headed the high-profile corruption investigation into Liu Zhijun, the former railways minister, and her presence in the Bo investigation is said to have been personally requested by the party's highest echelons. Chinese media have likened Ma to a female version of Bao Zheng, the legendary mystery-solving judge from the Northern Song Dynasty in the 11th century. Strictly speaking, Ma is the second to have been dubbed the "female Bao" by the media, the first being her predecessor Liu Liying.
Ma's primary mission is to conduct a full investigation into Bo's alleged illegal activities and draw up a detailed review before providing her recommendations to the party's Central Committee. After the committee session, the discipline inspection commission will then transfer Bo — who has been stripped of all his party posts — for a judicial hearing as an ordinary citizen.
Legal experts in Beijing say Ma will not have too much of a political burden to shoulder because most party leaders have already voiced their opinion in the case. But given the potential scope and complexities of the case, completing a comprehensive report in the space of a couple of months is still a major challenge, they added.
Recent media reports suggest Wang's trial for treason will commence in June and that the charges against him may include endangering national security and divulging state secrets. Legal experts say no matter what the complete list of charges are, the trial will not be open to the public if Wang is charged with endangering national security as expected. Wang is believed to have conveyed to US diplomats evidence of Bo's alleged crimes, including attempting to cover up his wife's murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, as a means of protecting himself from deadly reprisal at the hands of his former boss and mentor.
Source: Want China Times
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