Embattled Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu, 31, former member of K-pop boy band EXO, has been put on trial for rape and leading a crowd to engage in promiscuous activities in Beijing, China.
The Beijing Chaoyang People's Court announced on June 10 that “defendant Wu Yifan’s rape, gathering for licentiousness case” has started.
It said that on June 10, the Chaoyang District People's Court in Beijing held a trial in accordance with the law to hear the case of the defendant Wu Yifan's rape and gathering for licentiousness.
The court added that due to the privacy of the victim, the case was tried in a closed court in accordance with the law. The court will decide on the date of the verdict.
Kris Wu’s trial started 10 months after he was detained for rape by the Beijing police’s Chaoyang district on July 31 last year.
Under Article 236 of China’s Criminal Law, “Whoever, by violence, coercion or other means, rapes a woman is to be sentenced to not less than three years and not more than 10 years of fixed-term imprisonment. Whoever has sexual relations with a girl under the age of 14 is to be deemed to have committed rape and is to be given a heavier punishment.”
The law added that “whoever rapes a woman or has sexual relations with a girl involving one of the following circumstances is to be sentenced to not less than 10 years of fixed-term imprisonment, life imprisonment, or death:
“1. rape a woman or have sexual relations with a girl and when the circumstances are odious;
“2. rape several women or have sexual relations with several girls;
“3. rape a woman in a public place and in the public;
“4. rape a woman in turn with another or more persons;
“5. cause the victim serious injury, death, or other serious consequences.”
Regarding the charge of leading a crowd to engage in promiscuous activities, Article 301 of the same law states that “whoever takes a lead in assembling a crowd to engage in promiscuous activities or repeatedly participates in such activities is to be sentenced to not more than five years of fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention, or control.
“Whoever seduces minors to participate in mass promiscuous activities is to be severely punished in accordance with the previous paragraph,” it added.
When Kris Wu was detained for rape on July 31 last year, the Beijing police’s Chaoyang district announced that “according to the online report that ‘Wu Yifan repeatedly deceived young women to have sex’ and other related circumstances, Wu (male, 30 years old, Canadian national) is suspected of rape after police investigation, and has been detained by Public Security Bureau at Chaoyang district in accordance with the law, and the investigation work is being further carried out,” according to Global Times.
His problems started when Chinese influencer Du Meizhu accused him of luring girls including underage into sex.
The Beijing police’s Chaoyang district said on July 22 that at 10 p.m. on Dec. 5, 2020, Feng, who was Kris Wu’s acting manager at the time, invited Du Meizhu, 18, to his home supposedly for an audition for a female lead in a music video.
Kris Wu attended the party where more than 10 people played board games and drank together. By 7 a.m. the next day, the attendees left one after another. After drinking, Du Meizhu stayed at Wu’s house and they had sex. Du Meizhu left his home and they added each other on the WeChat app.
Chinese microblogging platform Weibo deleted Kris Wu’s official account, which had more than 50 million followers, after it was reported for violating rules and regulations. Madame Tussauds Shanghai said Kris Wu’s wax figure in the museum was removed.
Kris Wu denied allegations. In a Weibo post on July 19, he said, “I didn't respond before because l didn't want to disturb the legal proceedings but didn't think that silence would encourage the rumormongers to take it one step further. I'm at the end of my rope!”
“I have only seen Ms. Du once during a friendly gathering on December 5. 2020. Nobody was plied with alcohol, no phones were taken away, and absolutely none of those ‘details’ she described took place. Many people were present at the gathering that day, they can all testify to this!” he said, according to Weibo Trending.
He added, “I'm so sorry for disturbing everyone. | am stating that l have never ‘picked concubines’! Never ‘seduced and raped’ or ‘drugged and raped’! There were no ‘underage ’! If I behaved like this, everyone please rest assured I would put myself in jail!! I take legal responsibility for everything I just said!!”
Kris Wu debuted in EXO in 2012 and left the group in 2014. In 2016, SM Entertainment, which manages EXO, and Kris Wu had a court settlement wherein the latter’s contract with the agency would remain in effect until 2022.