A Chinese court has convicted two teenagers for the death of their classmate in March.
The teenagers from Hebei province, identified only by their surnames Zhang and Li, were 13 when they conspired to kill their classmate Wang and split his money between them.
After attacking Wang with a shovel, they buried him in an abandoned vegetable greenhouse, the court said in a statement on Monday, adding that their “methods were particularly cruel and the circumstances particularly despicable.”
The teenagers were sentenced to life imprisonment and 12 years of imprisonment respectively.
The conviction brings an end to this brutal case, which sparked intense public anger when it was first published.
Wang was long bullied at school by three classmates, his family and lawyer said in March, while the court noted Monday that he had a conflict with Zhang and Li.
A third teenager also present at the scene, identified by his last name Ma, was not criminally punished, according to the court.
On March 3, Zhang brought Wang to the greenhouse on a scooter, while Li rode on a separate scooter with Ma. On the way, Li told Ma about the plan Zhang had made to kill Wang.
When the four arrived at the greenhouse, Zhang began attacking Wang with a shovel and Li helped him. Seeing the attack, Ma left the greenhouse.
Zhang and Li then buried the victim, and the three left the scene on horseback.
Then, Zhang used Wang’s phone to transfer money from his WeChat account to Lee and himself. He also took out the SIM card from Wang’s phone and ordered Ma to destroy it.
Zhang, Li, and Ma were each approached by the police, and Ma eventually led them to the crime scene.
The court said Zhang was the main culprit because he planned the crime and instigated others to join in, and his actions directly caused Wang’s death.
Li, meanwhile, was an accomplice who actively participated in the act and shared the money with Zhang, the court said.
Authorities said Ma would undergo correction and education – a method commonly applied to juveniles who have committed crimes.
The teens’ sentencing on Monday was welcomed by social media users who were waiting to hear about the punishment for the horrific crime. But some suggested the sentence was too lenient.
“He who only got 12 years in prison will be a young man when he is released. I hope he will not take revenge on society once he is released,” read a popular comment on Weibo, referring to a recent wave of massacres that have taken place. spread fear throughout the country.
Others mourned Wang’s death. “As a parent, I feel really sorry for this child,” another Weibo user said. “It’s really heartbreaking.”
