The verdict draws the line under a brutal case which caused great public anger when it first became known.
Wang had been bullied at school for a long time by three classmates, his family and lawyer said in March, and the court noted on Monday that he had had conflicts with Zhang and Li.
According to the court, the third teenager, who was also at the scene, surnamed Ma, was not brought to criminal responsibility.
On March 3, Zhang brought Wang to the greenhouse on a scooter, while Li rode a separate scooter with Ma. On the way, Li told Ma about the plan Zhang came up with to kill Wang.
When the four arrived at the greenhouse, Zhang began attacking Wang with a shovel, and Li helped him. Seeing the attack, Ma left the greenhouse.
Zhang and Li then buried the victim and the three left the scene.
Afterwards, Zhang used Wang’s phone to transfer money from his WeChat account to Li and himself. He also removed the SIM card from Wang’s phone and ordered Ma to destroy it.
Zhang, Li and Ma were approached by the police and eventually Ma led them to the crime scene.
The court said Zhang was the main culprit as he planned the crime and incited others to join him, and his actions directly caused Wang’s death.
Li, meanwhile, was a co-conspirator who actively participated in the act and shared money with Zhang, the court said.
Authorities said Ma will undergo corrections and education, a method typically used for juvenile offenders.
The teenager’s sentencing on Monday was applauded by social media users who had been waiting to hear about the punishment for the horrific crime. But some felt the sentence was too lenient.
“Anyone who only gets 12 years will be a young man when he is released. I hope he won’t take revenge on the public when he comes out,” said a popular comment on Weibo, citing a recent spate of massacres that have sparked fear across the country.
Others mourned Vanga’s death. “As a parent, I feel very sorry for the child,” said another Weibo user. “It’s really heartbreaking.”
