Wan Ruizhong, the former head of a county Communist Party in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was executed on 20 February 2004 after his appeal against the death sentence was rejected.

According to reports, Wan was accused of abuse of power and taking bribes worth some 3.21 million Yuan.

Wan was also accused of helping to cover up a tin mine accident in 2001 at the state owned Lajiapo mine. The mine flooded killing some 81 people but the event was unreported for several weeks. According to reports, mine managers attempted to cover up the disaster by bribing survivors and threatening journalists with violence to stop them reporting the accident. After news of the accident leaked out it was found that the flood had been caused by mismanagement and poorly conducted explosions.

Wan, the local county governor and another party official were all convicted of complicity in the cover up – it is unknown what sentences they received.

The cover up of the massive accident promoted the government to implement harsher penalties for officials involved in similar cover-ups. However, CLB has monitored similar cases of cover-ups and attempted cover-ups. The case shows the direct link between mine management and the local officials and the link between corruption and the un-reporting or hiding of accidents.