The former head of Interpol has reportedly admitted accepting millions in bribes and spending “lavish” amounts of state money in a court appearance months after his arrest and disappearance in China.
The Chinese state newspaper People’s Daily said that Meng Hongwei, 64, “expressed remorse” after pleading guilty in the northern city of Tianjin. The paper added that his alleged crimes in various posts, including when he was deputy minister of public security and head of China’s coastguard, went back to 2005.
Chinese courts are tightly controlled by the Communist Party and Meng is almost certain to be found guilty. The newspaper said that the verdict would be delivered at a “later date”.
Mr Meng disappeared last October during a trip home from his job in