Two in milk scandal sentenced to death, life imprisonment

By Zhu Zhe and Cui Xiaohuo (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-01-22 15:14

Two people accused of illegally producing and selling toxic chemicals that killed six babies and sickened 296,000 others were sentenced to death and life imprisonment respectively on Thursday in north China's Hebei province.

Intermediate People's Court of Shijiazhuang is seen in this picture taken on January 22, 2009. [Xinhua]

Zhang Yujun received death penalty for "endangering public security" in the Intermediate People's Court of Shijiazhuang in the provincial capital of Hebei. He became the first one to be given death penalty as the court began announcing sentences for 21 defendants implicated in the scandal at 2:00 p.m.

The other person Zhang Yanzhang will stay behind bars for the rest of his life under the same charge.

The court announced that from October 2007 to August 2008, Zhang Yujun produced 775.6 tons of "protein powder" that contained the toxic chemical of melamine, and sold more than 600 tons of it with a total value of 6.83 million yuan ($998,000).

Zhang Yanzhang was found buying 230 tons of the "protein powder" from Zhang Yujun.

The powder was then resold to private milk collectors in Shijiazhuang, Tangshan, Xingtai and Zhangjiakou in Hebei, and some collectors added it to raw milk to make it appear to have a higher protein content in nutrition tests.

The milk was then sold to Shijiazhuang-based Sanlu Group, and was used to produce baby formula that killed six infants and caused kidney problems for 290,000 others, according to figures from the Ministry of Health.

During the trial, prosecutors said both Zhangs were "fully aware of the harm of melamine" while they produced and sold the product.

"The production and sale of the 'protein powder' severely harmed the health of the people, especially babies. Both suspects should be charged for harming public security through dangerous means," the indictment said.