Beijing - The former head of China's food and drug watchdog has appealed a death sentence for corruption, state media said Tuesday. Zheng Xiaoyu, who until his arrest was the director of the State Food and Drug Administration, said the death penalty was "too severe" for the crimes that he confessed, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Zheng, 63, said that because he had "confessed his wrongdoings" and cooperated with prosecutors during their investigation, the Beijing court should consider giving him a lighter sentence, the agency said.
He was convicted on May 29 of "taking bribes and dereliction of duty," including the illegal acceptance of cash and gifts worth more than 6.49 million yuan (850,000 dollars).
Earlier reports said he had taken about 5 million yuan in bribes from pharmaceutical firms to certify new and only partially tested medicines.
At least 10 people died as a result of the use of improperly tested drugs, state media reported.
More than 30 others are implicated in the scandal, including several more high-ranking officials and Zheng's wife and son.
Government-linked legal experts said Zheng's sentence would have a "strong warning effect" and reflected the ruling Communist Party's determination to fight corruption, especially among top officials.
The court said the death sentence was appropriate because of the "huge amount of bribes involved and the great damage inflicted on the country and the public."
Zheng's trial took place amid a succession of high-profile scandals in the food-processing and pharmaceutical industries.
