THREE more high-ranking Chinese officials were expelled from the Communist Party today, opening the way for their prosecution on corruption charges.

Former Hainan deputy governor Ji Wenlin, former commission for political and legal affairs official Yu Gang and former Ministry of Public Security senior officer Tan Hong were given their marching orders.

“Investigations show that Mr Ji took advantage of his posts to seek benefits for others, demanded and received a huge amount of bribes and committed adultery,” read a statement from the party.

It alleged that Mr Yu and Mr Tan also took “huge bribes” and that Mr Yu committed adultery.

Business magazine Caixin revealed that Mr Yu and Mr Ji had each served at different times as secretary to an unnamed retired member of the politburo standing committee, while Mr Tan had also worked for the same leader — believed to be Zhou Yongkang — as a “security secretary.”

The three cases have been handed over to prosecutors.