Killer of 12-year-old girl executed in northeast China

A criminal who molested and killed a 12-year-old girl was executed Friday in northeast China's Jilin Province, said a court statement.

Han Yuewu, 31, killed a girl surnamed Guo on Jan. 23, 2009 in his convenience store in Jiutai city and was arrested on Jan. 27, 2009, said Changchun Municipal Intermediate People's Court in the statement.

Guo went to the store to buy a piggy bank when she was killed, it said.

Han was sentenced to death in July 2009 by Changchun Municipal Intermediate People's Court and was ordered to pay 230,000 yuan (33,686 U.S. dollars) in compensation to the victim's family.

He appealed to Jilin Provincial Higher People's Court which upheld the initial sentence in October 2009.

Han's death penalty was approved by the Supreme People's Court because the victim was a minor and Han killed her in an "extremely cruel" way, the statement said.

Source:Xinhua