Beijing - Four people responsible for the dormitory blasts which killed 108 people in northern China last month, were sentenced to death by a court yesterday, writes Miriam Donohoe.
One of the four is Jin Ruchao, the man who confessed to being responsible for the explosions and to igniting them in Shijiazhuang city on March 16th. The three others were accused of providing Jin with the explosives and detonators used in the blasts.
According to the official state news agency, Xinhua, Jin confessed to the crime. It did not say whether he would appeal against the conviction. The trial, which began on Tuesday in Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's court, was attended by relatives of the victims.
Jin, who is reported to be deaf, was arrested in the southern beach resort of Beihai on March 23rd after a nationwide manhunt in which a reward 150,000 yuan ($18,000) was offered for information leading to his arrest.