BEIJING - A former senior official with the Beijing government went on trial Thursday for allegedly taking bribes totaling 1.9 million U.S. dollars, a local court said Friday.

Liu Zhi, former deputy secretary-general of the Beijing municipal government, appeared at Beijing's Second Intermediate People's Court on Thursday.

Liu sought benefits for others by taking advantage of his positions and gained more than 12.66 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) in illicit profits in the form of cash, housing and cars between 2004 and 2015, when he served as deputy chief of the municipal development and reform commission and deputy secretary-general of the municipal government, according to the indictment.
The Beijing Municipal People's Procuratorate launched an investigation into his case in August 2015.

The case is being heard and a verdict will be announced on a later date.