The Ningbo Intermediate People's Court in East China's Zhejiang Province has sentenced Shadeed Abdulmateen to death for intentional homicide. Photo from web

The Ningbo Intermediate People's Court in East China's Zhejiang Province has sentenced Shadeed Abdulmateen, an African-American who taught at Ningbo University of Technology, to death for intentional homicide, media reported on Thursday. 

The perpetrator was accused of stabbing a 21-year-old Chinese woman multiple times in the neck and face, eventually killing her in what he claimed was a relationship dispute. 

As shown in the investigation report, the perpetrator established a relationship with a woman surnamed Chen in early 2019 by lying to her that he was divorced and single. Starting in May 2021, Chen said several times that she wanted a break-up, but she was always refused and verbally threatened by the man. 

On June 14, 2021, Abdulmateen made an appointment with Chen in the evening near a bus stop in Ningbo, carrying a folding knife and some clothes. Later that night, he used the knife to stab and cut her neck repeatedly until she lost the ability to resist. He carried on stabbing her face several times, resulting in Chen's massive bleeding and dying on the spot.

The court ruled that the perpetrator's act of intentionally and unlawfully depriving another person of life constituted the crime of intentional homicide. His motive was despicable, the intention of the crime was resolute, its means were cruel, and the consequences were particularly serious. 

The court said it has fully guaranteed the defendant's rights to defense, having access to an interpreter, consular visits, and other procedural rights in accordance with the law, and notified the US Embassy and Consulates in China prior to the hearing and sentencing.

A trial in the case was held in December 2021 at the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court, and both the public prosecution department and the defense counsel presented evidence. The court hired an interpreter for the defendant. 

Global Times