Bo Xilai admits slapping former police chief Wang Lijun 'because he was two-faced'
Bo tells court how, 'mad with anger', he struck Wang Lijun after he told him his wife might be linked to the murder of Briton Neil Heywood
Bo Xilai on Saturday reconstructed events that led to him slapping the then Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun in the face, and the latter’s dramatic defection to the American consulate in Chengdu.
“[Wang] came to me on January 28 [2012] and told me [British businessman] Neil [Heywood] died. He said somebody was alleging that Gu Kailai had something to do with the death. Later in the evening we talked more about Gu’s problems. We talked about the relations between Gu Kailai and Neil Heywood. But I can’t remember the details now.
“I talked to Gu Kailai after the conversation. Gu was furious. She immediately said these were all Wang Lijun’s slanderous accusations. I told her I was told that several people were ready to testify against her. Gu Kailai said these people were instructed by Wang. ‘Every word came from Wang’s instruction.’ Gu then showed me a coroner’s report from the Chongqing police that showed Neil Heywood died from alcoholic poisoning. The report bore the signature and fingerprints of Neil Heywood’s wife. I have no idea as how and why she would have the coroner’s report.
“I believed Gu and believed Wang was falsely accusing her. Gu had been singing praises of Wang all the time. Why did she suddenly turn against Wang? And with such force? Gu’s account was also very detailed. She described how three students of Wang – Wang Zhi and Wang Pengfei [and a third unnamed] – recorded every word of Wang. That was why I believed her. After all, we have been married for 27 years.
“After one night of deep thought and struggle, I went back to my office on January 29. The whole thing was too overwhelming for me. Gu in my memory was a gentle lady. She couldn’t have killed somebody. And she was on very good terms with Wang. I had never detected any bad blood between the two. Why did this happen now? I vaguely felt that Wang had some hidden agenda. I was in a very bad mood when I got into the office. Then I started to question Wang.
