MA’ANSHAN, China – Two suspects involved in a lethal poisoning at a martial arts school in Anhui province 27 years ago were sentenced to death on Monday, according to the Ma’anshan Intermediate People’s Court. The poisoning led to the deaths of seven students, and the suspects were also ordered to pay economic compensation to the victims’ families.
The court revealed that the suspects, Fu Zejie and Zhu Zulin, were on the run until their arrest in May. The incident occurred in 1997 when Fu snuck into the school’s kitchen and placed rat poison in the pickled vegetables, which resulted in more than 100 teachers and students exhibiting symptoms of vomiting and convulsions. Seven students later died as a result of the poisoning.
The court statement detailed the animosity between the suspects and another individual, surnamed Peng, who ran a training institute for martial arts. Due to business conflicts, Peng left the institute and started a new school, prompting Fu and Zhu to plan the poisoning in an attempt to ruin Peng’s school. Zhu promised Fu 50,000 yuan for the poisoning and provided a 500-yuan down payment.
After the incident, the suspects evaded authorities and were added to the national wanted list. It wasn’t until May of this year that they were apprehended in Fujian and Guizhou provinces. The victims’ families have sought economic compensation totaling 7.65 million yuan.
The court’s decision did not specify the exact amount of economic compensation to be provided by the suspects. This case serves as a haunting reminder of the deadly consequences of personal vendettas and highlights the lasting impact of heinous acts.