Liu Bokun, former chairman of the board of directors of Xinjiang Shenhua Mining Co. Ltd., was accused of corruption, bribery, and embezzlement of more than 30 million yuan (US$4.8 million) during his tenure of office, Jinghua.cn reported on Tuesday. Liu has been brought up on public charges in the Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court.

A Hebei native, the 57-year-old Liu carried other titles such as the legal agent of the Xinjiang Shenhua Mining Co. Ltd; legal agent and general manager of Shenhua (Beijing) Remote Sensing Exploration Co. Ltd.; and legal agent of Hunan Provincial Zhongxunda Anti-counterfeiting Technology Co. Ltd. Liu was detained by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau on March 23, 2011.

During his tenure of office from February 2005 to November 2008, Liu embezzled 27.62 million yuan in public funds to purchase villas and jade, and make investments for personal gain, prosecutors alleged.

"As an official of state agencies, Liu took advantage of his position and power to illegally posses huge amount of public property, seek improper benefits for others, illegally accept huge amounts of other people's properties, and embezzle huge amounts of public funds for personal use. He must [accept] criminal responsibility for corruption, bribe-taking and embezzlement of public funds," prosecutors said in a statement.

The case is currently under further investigation.