Shanxi court upholds 3-year sentence for man convicted of raping fiancée

A court in north China's Shanxi Province upheld a three-year prison sentence for a man convicted of raping his fiancée during a second trial on Wednesday, dismissing the defendant's appeal.

The court found that the defendant, surnamed Xi, and the victim were introduced by a local matchmaking agency in Yanggao County, Datong in Shanxi, in January 2023, and later entered into a relationship. The couple got engaged on May 1.

On the afternoon of the next day, Xi forcibly raped the victim at a residence in Yanggao County despite her resistance. Overwhelmed by distress, the victim later set fire to the bedroom furniture and living room curtains. She reported the incident to police that same night.

After an investigation, Yanggao police detained Xi on May 5. The Yanggao County People's Court initially sentenced him to three years in prison for rape. Xi appealed the verdict.

Xi's mother, surnamed Zhen, told High Wind News that her son rejected the judgment and immediately filed an appeal. She alleged that after the sexual encounter, the victim demanded that their property deed be amended to include her name and asked for an additional 100,000 yuan (US$13,650) worth of betrothal gift money (money paid by a groom to the bride, as per traditional Chinese marriage custom in some rural areas).

When Xi cited financial constraints and the unavailability of the property deed, the woman turned around and accused him of rape.

The Datong Intermediate People's Court on Wednesday morning ruled that Xi's actions constituted rape, as he violated the victim's will. It affirmed that the first trial's findings were clear, evidence was sufficient, and the legal procedures were proper.

In a separate but related civil case involving the engagement gifts, the court found that before the first trial, the victim had already returned the 100,000-yuan betrothal gift money and two rings to the matchmaking agency. Despite being notified, Xi refused to collect them.

During the appeal, the court arranged for the dowry to be delivered to the courthouse, but Xi again refused to accept it. The Datong Intermediate People's Court upheld the original ruling, stating that the first trial's decision was legally sound.