MA’ANSHAN, CHINA – Two kung fu coaches in Ma’anshan, China, were sentenced to death on Monday for their involvement in a 1997 poisoning case that resulted in the deaths of seven children. Fu Zejie and Zhu Zulin were found guilty of planting rat poison in food at a martial arts school in Anhui Province, leading to the tragic incident. The coaches had been avoiding prosecution for nearly 26 years before being arrested last year.
The Intermediate People’s Court in Ma’anshan handed down the death sentences, ruling that the two men had deliberately poisoned the food due to a business dispute with the school’s boss. According to the court, the dispute stemmed from a rivalry between Zhu, his associate Peng, and another martial arts school in the area back in 1994.
Fu later joined Peng’s school as a coach but became dissatisfied over time. The coaches then conspired to retaliate against Peng and ruin his martial arts school. This led to Fu sneaking into the school kitchen in 1997 and putting rat poison in the food, resulting in the tragic deaths of seven students.
The tragedy had gone unsolved for over two decades until Fu and Zhu were finally apprehended by police in Fujian Province. The court found them both equally responsible for the crime and sentenced them to compensate for the economic losses suffered by the victims’ families. The convicted coaches have been held accountable for their actions, bringing a sense of closure and justice to the families of the victims.
In conclusion, the sentencing of the kung fu coaches to death for their involvement in the 26-year-old poisoning case serves as a long-awaited resolution for the affected families. The court’s decision demonstrates the serious consequences of their actions and provides some measure of justice for the tragic loss of young lives.