Questions over fate of Bo Xilai after jailing of ex-police chief Wang Lijun
Experts disagree on whether disgraced former Chongqing party boss will face charges; family of Wang Lijun say he's been made a scapegoat
The 15-year jail sentence handed down to former Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun did little to shed light on the fate of his boss, disgraced Politburo member Bo Xilai .
Analysts said the lenient sentence for the former anti-triad hero, who was once Bo's right-hand man, was part of a political deal aimed at putting an end to the Bo scandal ahead of the party's leadership succession.
But they disagreed sharply on whether Bo would face criminal prosecution.
Chengdu Intermediate People's Court yesterday sentenced Wang to nine years for bribery, seven for bending the law, and two each for abuse of power and defection.
But the court reduced the combined term to a total of 15 years due to his help in exposing the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood and "serious crimes implicating others".
A source close to Wang's family told the they believed Wang had been made a scapegoat for Bo.
The source commented: "Wang has apparently become a political victim because the government wants to protect the guy above him and avoid further humiliation."
