Bo Xilai calls his former top aide Wang Lijun 'extremely vile'
Former Chongqing boss says Wang Lijun's testimony is black mark on court's credibility
Bo Xilai continued his scathing attack on Wang Lijun in court yesterday, calling his former top aide "extremely vile" and dismissing his testimony as a black mark on the court's credibility.
Bo criticised Wang, whom he picked as his right-hand man, as the Jinan Intermediate People's Court heard allegations about Bo's abuse of power. This included removing Wang as Chongqing police chief without following procedures, allowing his wife Gu Kailai to interfere with the handling of Wang's defection to the US consulate in Chengdu and covering up Gu's murder of the British businessman Neil Heywood.
"Wang's personality is extremely vile," Bo said in his defence, according to the trial transcript posted in the court's official microblog account.
"He's lying in court, and he is trying to muddy the waters. Letting this kind of person to testify will impair the credibility of the legal system."
In testimony on Saturday, Wang said Bo punched him in January last year after learning about Gu's murder of Heywood. Wang also said Bo banned further investigation into the murder case, but launched probes into police officers involved in the case to protect Gu. But Bo described Wang's testimony as "untrustworthy" and "one-sided".
"He [Wang] said I did not 'slap' him, but gave him a punch. But I've never practiced boxing, nor am I a powerful puncher," Bo said. "I suggest that the prosecutors not try to exonerate Wang Lijun in my persecution."
