Our reporter (Zhang Lei) - Two Sichuan-born men orchestrated a real-life version of the movie *Blind Shaft*. They pushed a co-worker off a building, creating the illusion that his death was accidental so they could defraud the construction site of death compensation money. However, because their coworker did not die from the fall, Sha Mou was captured on the spot, and Ji Mou fled but was arrested six months later. This morning at 10:30, 21-year-old Ji Mou stood trial in Chaoyang Court on charges of intentional homicide, while his accomplice Sha Mou is currently serving time.
A 29-year-old man named Yan Mou from Yunnan Province met Sichuan labor worker Sha Mou at the train station last July when he missed his train and was feeling anxious. Since Yan Mou had no money, Sha Mou bought him food and later took him to work at a construction site. Yan Mou thought he had met a benefactor, but little did he know, his life was almost lost.
Ji Mou confessed during questioning that he met Sha Mou late last year in a small restaurant at Chengde Station in Hebei Province. Yan Mou was also there, and Sha Mou introduced him as his younger brother. According to Sha Mou's confession, the "accidental fall" plan was proposed by Ji Mou. Ji Mou complained about not having enough money and wanted to get rid of Yan Mou. Ji Mou then came up with a scheme: "I once watched a legal program where two workers killed a fellow townsman and were still able to claim hundreds of thousands in death compensation from the boss. Instead of just getting rid of him, we could kill him and make money!" The two agreed immediately.
In November last year, the three arrived in Beijing and found work as rebar workers at the No. 08 section of the Line 15 subway under construction in Cuigezhuang, Chaoyang District. On the evening of November 16th, after the overtime workers left, the two began carrying out their criminal plan.
The prosecution accused Ji Mou of pushing Yan Mou from the third floor of the under-construction comprehensive building around 9 p.m. that night. Yan Mou fell onto the second-floor platform after being stopped by scaffolding. Sha Mou attempted to further harm Yan Mou, but failed due to his strong resistance.
Afterward, Sha Mou was caught on the spot, and Ji Mou fled. In May this year, Ji Mou was arrested, and at the same time, Sha Mou was sentenced to nine years in prison by Chaoyang Court for intentional homicide.
Since Ji Mou is a member of an ethnic minority, his Chinese-speaking ability is somewhat limited. Although Ji Mou verbally admitted guilt, he denied proposing the murder and also denied harming Yan Mou himself. He only said that on the night of the incident, while moving rebar during overtime work, he heard Sha Mou and Yan Mou arguing upstairs. It was Sha Mou who pushed Yan Mou down from the upper floor. Sha Mou told him to hold onto Yan Mou, but he was shaken off. Regarding the murder plan, Ji Mou claimed he was "unaware."
It was learned that according to the prosecution's accusation, Ji Mou proposed the murder and carried out the act of pushing. If proven true, due to greater subjective malice, Ji Mou should receive a heavier sentence than Sha Mou during sentencing.
The verdict was not announced in court that day.
Related Links:
The Movie *Blind Shaft*
Based on Liu Qingbang's novel *Shenmu*, the film tells a story set in a mining area. Two idle men living in the mining area earn money by harming others. They lure migrant workers to the mine, then kill them in the mine shafts and create the illusion of an accident. They then pose as the deceased’s family members to demand compensation from the mine owner. They succeed repeatedly, seemingly losing all moral sense due to greed for money... But when a little boy becomes their target, one of the murderers undergoes an emotional change, torn between harming and protecting the child, ultimately committing suicide in the mine shaft...