HEFEI, CHINA: A Chinese court yesterday handed the wife of disgraced political leader Bo Xilai a suspended death sentence for murder in a case that has rocked the Communist party ahead of a 10-yearly power handover. Gu Kailai was found guilty of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood, a crime she had confessed to, and given the death penalty with two years’ reprieve, court official Tang Yigan told reporters after a brief hearing.
Zhang Xiaojun, an employee of the Bo family charged with helping Gu to poison Heywood, was found guilty and sentenced to nine years in jail while four police officers were convicted of attempting to cover up the murder. Tang said the court had suspended Gu’s death sentence because she suffered from psychological problems, and because Heywood had threatened her son, but he gave no indication of how long she would serve. Suspended death sentences are typically commuted to life in prison in China, although the amount of time served varies.
The law states that a death sentence for murder cannot be commuted to less than 20 years in jail, but legal experts say there have been cases where the courts have ordered shorter sentences. Gu told the court she accepted the outcome, which “reflects particular respect to the law, the truth and life”.
Gu confessed during her trial earlier this month in the eastern Chinese city of Hefei to killing 41-year-old Heywood by pouring poison down his throat, saying that he had threatened her son after a business deal went sour. The case brought down her husband Bo, a charismatic but divisive politician, and exposed deep divisions in the ruling Communist party before a generational handover of power due to start later this year. Bo had been tipped for promotion to the elite group of party leaders that effectively rules China until the allegations against his wife burst into the open, and he is now under investigation for corruption.
Britain said it welcomed China’s move to investigate Heywood’s death last November, which was initially attributed to a heart attack, although it did not explicitly comment on the verdict. Even before the hearing began state news agency Xinhua had said the evidence against Gu was “irrefutable”, leading many analysts and media commentators to question whether she would be given a fair trial. Two British diplomats attended Gu’s trial — a rare concession in China, where trials involving high-profile political figures are often held in secret. Political analysts say leaders are eager to draw a line under the controversy, although yesterday’s verdict will likely shift the spotlight back to Bo, who has not been seen since April and is thought to be under house arrest.
