The wife of the disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been charged with the murder of the British businessman Neil Heywood, state media said on Thursday, the latest development in the country's biggest political scandal in decades.
Gu Kailai and a family aide, Zhang Xiaojun, were recently charged with Heywood's murder, the state news agency Xinhua said, in the first official comment on the case since an announcement in April that the pair were suspected of killing him.
"The facts of the two defendants' crime are clear, and the evidence is irrefutable and substantial. Therefore, the two defendants should be charged with intentional homicide," the statement said.
It said the investigation showed that Gu and her son had been in conflict with Heywood over economic interests. As in previous statements it referred to her as Bogu Kailai, although friends say she is known as Gu.
"Worrying about Neil Heywood's threat to her son's personal security, Bogu Kailai along with Zhang Xiaojun … poisoned Neil Heywood to death," Xinhua said.
Heywood's sudden death at a hotel in the south-western city of Chongqing in November was originally blamed on excessive alcohol, although friends said he was only a light drinker.
Three months later Bo's police chief and ally Wang Lijun fled to the US consulate in nearby Chengdu, where he reportedly told diplomats that he believed Gu had poisoned Heywood. Lurid rumours surfaced online, prompting Britain to request a reinvestigation of the death.
Gu, 53, and Zhang, 32, have been charged with intentional homicide by prosecutors in Hefei, Anhui province, Xinhua said, and will be tried there "on a day to be decided". Heywood, 41, died in Chongqing, and Gu appears to have divided her time between Chongqing, Beijing and overseas.
The statement said prosecutors had informed Gu and Zhang of their legal rights and heard the opinions of their defence team. Shen Zhigeng, a lawyer who had been employed by Gu's family, told Reuters he believed that Gu's trial was likely to start on 7 or 8 August.
Legal experts had assumed Bo and Zhang would be prosecuted, since it would be highly unusual for Chinese officials to announce that people were "highly suspected" of a crime without taking further action. Most trials end in convictions. If found guilty, the pair could face the death penalty.
Analysts had also expected an early trial, given that the Communist party is gearing up for its once-a-decade transition of power to a new generation of leaders this autumn.
Last week the French architect Patrick Devillers flew from Cambodia to China as a potential witness in the case, Phnom Penh's information minister said. Devillers, who is said to have known Heywood when they were both part of Gu's inner circle, had been detained for several weeks at Beijing's request, but Cambodian officials said he travelled of his own free will and China had assured them he would return within 60 days.
The announcement of Gu's detention in April was published along with a separate statement saying Bo – once tipped for the country's top political body, the politburo standing committee – had been suspended from the politburo for unspecified but serious violations of discipline. He had already been removed from his post as party secretary of Chongqing.
Thursday's report did not comment on Bo or the internal party investigation against him. Neither he nor his wife have been seen since he was ousted.
Heywood is thought to have become close to Bo and Gu after he helped smooth the way for their son Bo Guagua's schooling at Harrow, Heywood's alma mater. He was said to have remained on good terms with the young man, who went on to study at Oxford University and is now living in the US after graduating from his masters course at Harvard this year.
An FCO spokesman in London said: "The details of the ongoing investigation are a matter for the Chinese authorities. However, we are glad to see that the Chinese authorities are continuing with the investigation into the death of Neil Heywood. We are dedicated to seeking justice for him and his family and we will be following developments closely."
Heywood's wife in Beijing and family in London have previously declined to comment on his death.
Xinhua's report was not mentioned on the state broadcaster China Central Television's flagship evening news programme, although the announcement was included in other broadcasts. It was published on mainstream news sites, but commenting was disabled on most pages, though some included remarks supporting the prosecution, AP reported.
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