A former top general Zhang Yang has committed suicide at his home in Beijing after being investigated for corruption.
SCMP reports that the former Guangzhou Military Command hanged himself at his home in Beijing on the morning of 23 November.
Zhang was the former head of the powerful Central Military Commission’s (CMC) political work department. He was linked to former disgraced CMC vice-chairmen Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou and was suspected for corruption.
An investigation showed Zhang owned “enormous property holdings of unknown origin”, indicating he had received bribes.
“Zhang, a paramount and powerful heavyweight, used such a shameful way to end his life,” read an article on the PLA Daily’s website. It added that his suicide was a “bad move to escape punishment”.
The investigation was part of the Communist Party’s on going work to remove “harmful influence left by Guo and Xu”. Although it said Zhang had seemed to be a loyal official, the report described him as one without a “moral bottom line who severely harmed the party’s image”.
“Zhang’s death may affect other anti-graft inspection work because his case involved many other military officers,” said a Guangzhou source. “He may have wanted to use his death to protect friends involved in his case.”