2 days ago
Last Updated:December 30, 2024, 22:43 IST
Zhang and Li, both 13 years when the crime happened, conspired to kill their classmate Wang and bury his body in a greenhouse, while sharing his money between them.
The shocking murder of the Chinese teenager triggered outrage and a debate on juvenile crime. (Representational Image)
A Chinese court sentenced two teenagers over an “especially vile" murder of their classmate in Hebei province. Zhang and Li, both 13 years old at the time of the crime, had reportedly conspired to kill their classmate Wang and split his money between them.
The teenagers were sentenced to life imprisonment and 12 years in jail respectively, according to BBC. Wang’s murder had ignited public outrage and furious debate on juvenile crime when it was reported in March, with many opining that the suspects should be punished harshly despite their age.
According to Wang’s family and lawyer, he had long been bullied by three classmates, while the court noted on Monday that he had conflicts with Zhang and Li. The third teen, identified as Ma, was also detained but not handed any criminal punishment.
The court said the methods used by Zhang and Li to murder Wang “were especially cruel and circumstances especially vile." The sentencing was widely lauded by social media users in China, although some argued that it was too lenient.
How Did The Murder Take Place?
The incident occurred on March 3, when Zhang brought Wang to an abandoned vegetable greenhouse, while Li rode separately on a scooter with Ma, explaining to him the plan to kill Wang. When the four arrived at the greenhouse, Zhang attacked Wang with a shovel and Li assisted him.
Upon witnessing the attack, Ma left the greenhouse. After killing Wang, Zhang and Li buried the victim and the three rode away from the scene. Zhang later used Wang’s phone to transfer money from his WeChat account to Li and himself.
Wang’s father said before his death, the victim transferred 191 yuan (Rs 2,237) to one of the three classmates. Under questioning by authorities, Ma led them to the crime scene after they initially denied knowing about Wang’s body.
The court deemed Zhang as the main culprit of the crime as he had planned the entire act and persuaded others to join in, while Li was held as a colluder who participated actively in the murder and shared the money with Zhang.
Meanwhile, Ma would undergo correction and education, a method commonly applied to minors in China who have committed crimes, according to authorities. All the three classmates had been bullying Wang for a long time, said the victim’s lawyer.
Several netizens mourned Wang’s death after the sentencing. “As a parent, I really feel sorry for the kid," said an individual on Weibo, a heavily-controlled Chinese social media app. “It’s really heart-breaking."
Others pointed towards a spate of mass killings in China and expressed concerns over the leniency given to the culprits. “The one that only got 12 years will be a young man when he is released. Hope he doesn’t take revenge on society when he is out," one commenter said on Weibo.
Location :Beijing, China
First Published:December 30, 2024, 22:43 IST
News world Chinese Teen Sentenced To Life For 'Vile' Murder Of Classmate, Another Gets 12-Year Term
