Prosecutors open graft investigations in 5 local officials

Chinese prosecutors have opened separate investigations in five officials for suspected bribery and abuse of power, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Monday.

Prosecutors with Tianjin Municipality started an investigation in Ma Baiyu, former deputy head of the city's water utility department, for suspected abuse of power, said the SPP statement.

Zhang Jiping, former vice mayor of Baotou City in Inner Mongolia, is allegedly under investigation for dereliction of duty and bribery.

Yuan Yunhua and Zhao Xing'e, two officials with Wuhan city, capital of central China's Hubei province, are suspected of abuse of power and bribery and are under investigation.

Prosecutors with south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region opened investigations in Xu Liming, ex-head of the region's representative office in Guangzhou City of Guangdong Province, for suspected dereliction of duty and bribery.

All except Zhang have been "placed under coercive measures," the statement said.

According to China's criminal procedure law, coercive measures include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention and arrest. The SPP did not specify which measures have been taken in the cases.