The spectacular downfall of one of China's most powerful politicians entered its final stages as state media announced that Bo Xilai had been charged with bribery, abuse of power and corruption.
Bo, the Chongqing party chief who was toppled after the 2011 murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, was indicted by a court in Shandong, China's official news agency, Xinhua, reported. No date was given for Bo's trial but sources in Chongqing said it is likely to be in August or September and yesterday's charges indicate it is close.
Chongqing officials were told that Bo would face charges that he had received 20 million yuan ($4.07 million) in bribes and had embezzled a further five million yuan.
It is thought Bo will face a "very procedural, boringly administrative" trial after which he would go to "some reasonably comfortable, utterly irrelevant future under house arrest".
