China's disgraced politician Bo Xilai faces trial

Bo Xilai

wikipedia-VOA Zhang Nan

Fallen Chinese politician Bo Xilai faces a trial for abusing his power, taking bribes and trying to protect his wife Gu Kailai from murder charges. The trial will conclude the biggest scandal China has witnessed in decades. 

According to speculations, Bo's trial was to start on January 28. A court official, however, dismissed the rumour, adding that the trial would likely not be held until after China's national parliament holds its annual session in March. 

Bo's wife was accused of the November 2011 murder of British business consultant Neil Heywood, who had been close to the Bo family since the mid 1990s. Gu Kailai was convicted of Haywood's murder in a trial that lasted one day. She was given a suspended death sentence.

Bo, who has not been seen in public for months, is expected to escape more serious accusations. In early October, he was handed over for criminal investigation after the Communist Party formally claimed that he "abused his powers of office, committed serious errors and bears a major responsibility".

The trial of the former secretary of the Communist Party's Chongqing brand follows the trial of Wang Lijun, Bo's former right-hand, who was charged with defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking. 

Wang triggered the entire scandal around the prominent politician and his wife by briefly fleeing to a US consulate in February 2012, four days after he had been removed from his position.