Chinese court sentences man to life in prison for murder in Canada

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Murder victim Amanda Zhao\'s mother Baoying Yang (left) and father Zisheng Zhao in Vancouver, Oct. 20, 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

BEIJING, China – A Chinese court has sentenced a man to life in prison for murdering his girlfriend 10 years ago in Canada.

The case had raised diplomatic and legal issues because Beijing insisted on holding the trial even though the crime happened in another country.

Defence lawyer Zou Jiaming says the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate Court ruled today that Li Ang committed “intentional homicide” in the death of Amanda Zhao.

Li and Zhao were in a relationship and living together in Burnaby, B.C., where both were students.

The life sentence ends a long process started in 2002 when Zhao’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase.

Li was a suspect but fled to China, which said it would try the case because the victim and the alleged killer were both Chinese citizens.

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