Chinese murderer loses ability to speak after pretending to be mute for 12 years

New Delhi: The power of speech is a powerful tool bestowed upon the human race, but not using it rendered a Chinese man – a murderer – unable to speak.

In an attempt to conceal his past, the man, sur-named Zeng, pretended to be mute and ended up losing the power of speech for real.

Following a rent dispute over 500 yuan ($76), Zeng killed his wife's Uncle and left his village in the eastern province of Zhejiang in 2005.

Then aged 33, Zeng pretended to be mute and managed to find a job on a construction site in another province. He changed his name, got married and became a father.

The local police, however, became suspicious at Zeng's lack of identity papers. They ordered a blood test and discovered last October that his DNA closely matched that of the parents of the murderer wanted for 12 years.

Zeng confessed in writing. "After 12 years of silence, he can no longer speak," according to the newspaper.

"By not speaking, I was not going to say anything stupid," Zeng told police in writing. If convicted, Zeng faces a possible death sentence.

(With AFP inputs)