Court orders retrial in high-profile child trafficking case

The High People's Court of Guizhou Province recently ordered a retrial in a widely-followed child abduction and trafficking case because some criminal facts were incomplete.

The court determined that the original verdict omitted other child trafficking crimes committed by Yu Huaying, and some facts were unclear. In order to thoroughly investigate all the criminal facts, it said a retrial was necessary.

The case was initially heard on Sept 18 in the Intermediate People's Court of Guiyang, Guizhou. The court found that from 1993 to 1996, Yu, in collusion with a man surnamed Gong who is now deceased, trafficked 11 children in Guizhou, Chongqing, and other areas.

It said Yu's actions constituted the crime of child trafficking, with particularly severe circumstances and significant societal harm, warranting severe punishment. The court sentenced Yu to death for child trafficking, deprived him of his political rights for life, and ordered the confiscation of all his personal property.

Yu appealed the verdict and a hearing on his appeal was held on Nov 28. During that hearing, the procuratorial authorities found that preliminary investigation by the public security organs had discovered additional child trafficking crimes committed by Yu in Yunnan province that were not addressed in the appeal.

To comprehensively and accurately combat the crime and ensure the appellant's lawful right to appeal, prosecutors recommended sending the case back for retrial.