Court's decision proper and judicious

On Wednesday, a court in Putuo district of Shanghai municipality, sentenced Wang Zhenhua, who had molested a 9-year-old girl, to five years in prison. Zhou Yanfen, a woman who reportedly assisted Wang by taking the minor to the hotel where the crime was committed, was sentenced to four years in prison.

When the arrest of Wang was first reported in July 2019, there were worries that Wang, who was rich and wielded huge influence as board chairman of the real estate development company Seazen Holdings Co. Ltd, would escape penalty. However, the law makes no exception in deciding punishment.

According to the judge who presided over the case, the provisions of the Criminal Law and relevant judicial interpretations stipulate whether there is contact with the perpetrator's sexual organ is the key to distinguishing whether the offender is guilty of rape or of molesting a child in such cases.