Former real estate exec sentenced for child molestation

Wang Zhenhua, former chairman of local property developer Seazen Holdings, was sentenced to five years in jail by the Putuo District People’s Court for child molestation, the court announced on Wednesday.

The trial lasted 16 hours. His accomplice, a woman named Zhou Yanfen who procured girls for him, was given four years’ jail on the same charge.

The 58-year-old property tycoon was arrested by police in July last year on allegations of molesting a 9-year-old girl.

During the hearing, prosecutors accused the duo of scheming in advance and having Zhou create conditions for Wang to molest the victim. That amounted to a joint offense.

Tang Min, presiding judge of the case, said Wang had committed indecent behavior against the victim, but there was no sexual organ contact.

Under Chinese law, those who molest others by force face a detention or imprisonment of less than five years. If the victim is a child, the penalty is heavier.

“In this case, through the trial, our court confirms that Wang had committed child molestation. Meanwhile, his action caused a serious result — the victim suffered a light injury. Since the victim is under 12 and Wang kept denying his crime at the hearing, we decided to give him a heavier punishment,” Tang explained.

She said that although Zhou didn’t molest the girl on her own, the molestation was her idea and she created conditions for it. So they gave her four years for her misdeed.

At about 10pm on June 30 last year, Putuo police received a report from a mother saying her daughter had been brought to Shanghai by a friend Zhou from their home in Jiangsu Province. On arriving, the girl was taken to a hotel room and molested by a man there, police said.

On July 1, the suspect Wang was taken by police for investigation and his accomplice Zhou, 50, surrendered the next day.

Earlier reports said that Wang had arranged for Zhou to bring him young girls and the molestation happened on June 29.

Besides the 9-year-old, her 12-year-old sister was also brought to the hotel by Zhou. Zhou told their mother she was taking them to Shanghai Disneyland.

In the hotel room, Wang molested the 9-year-old and paid Zhou 10,000 yuan (US$1411).

Seazen shares fell sharply in the days after Wang’s arrest. Data showed over 16.5 billion yuan was wiped off the value of two Seazen firms owned by Wang within just one hour.

On July 3 last year, the Seazen Holding announced that police had arrested Wang but said that the detention had nothing to do with the company’s operation.

On the same day, Wang Xiaosong, Wang’s son, was elected chairman of Seazen Holding.