BEIJING: A court in northern China handed lengthy prison terms to two teenagers for murdering their classmate with a shovel in March, state media said on Monday, in a case that triggered heated public debate on juvenile delinquency.

The male suspects surnamed Zhang and Li were sentenced to life and 12 years in jail respectively for intentional homicide by a court in the city of Handan in the province of Hebei, CCTV said, but no motive was given.

The court found the methods of the killing “were particularly cruel, and the circumstances were particularly heinous”, it added. A third suspect surnamed Ma escaped with a sentence of “special correctional education”, in line with the law, the broadcaster said. All three were aged 13 at the time of the murder.

They were detained the day after the body of the 13-year-old victim, surnamed Wang, was found on March 10, buried in a shallow pit in an abandoned greenhouse on the city’s outskirts, state media said.

The court said Zhang bore principal responsibility for killing Wang with a shovel and initially devised the murder plan, while Li, his main accomplice, joined in the killing and subsequent burial.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Going dry
Updated 07 Apr, 2025

Going dry

The water problem has morphed into a very complex political economy issue.
Afghan return
07 Apr, 2025

Afghan return

AS expected, the government of Pakistan is moving ahead with its plan to forcibly repatriate Afghan Citizenship Card...
Hurting women
07 Apr, 2025

Hurting women

MONTH after month, the figures of crimes against women in the country indicate that our society is close to...
Not cricket
Updated 06 Apr, 2025

Not cricket

It is high time that the PCB sets things right; even if it demands a complete overhaul of the system.
Balochistan deadlock
Updated 06 Apr, 2025

Balochistan deadlock

Akhtar Mengal’s demands to release women activists should seriously be considered.
Escalating brutality
Updated 06 Apr, 2025

Escalating brutality

The world’s patience is running out. Israel must be held accountable under international law for war crimes.