FUZHOU (Xinhua): Five defendants, including key members of a telecom fraud group based in northern Myanmar, have stood trial in China on multiple charges, including murdering four Chinese nationals.
The Intermediate People's Court of Quanzhou, east China's Fujian Province, heard the case from May 19 to 22. The defendants included Wei Huairen and Chen Dawei.
According to the prosecutors, Wei and his family, leveraging their military and political influence in Kokang, Myanmar, set up multiple criminal compounds to conduct telecom fraud activities targeting people in China.
The illicit gains from this alleged scheme amounted to 2.4 billion yuan (US$353 million).
The criminal group also offered armed protection for "sponsors" and killed two Chinese citizens, prosecutors said.
Chen and accomplices are accused of committing intentional homicide, resulting in the deaths of another two Chinese citizens.
Prosecutors seek criminal liability against Wei, Chen and other defendants on charges of fraud, intentional homicide and other offenses.
At the trial, prosecutors presented evidence and each defendant and their lawyers examined the evidence. Both sides gave their respective accounts, while the defendants made their respective final statements.
Chinese legislators, political advisors, journalists, family members of those involved and members of the public observed the court proceedings.
The verdict will be announced in due course. -- Xinhua
