TWO CHINESE men have been condemned to death and a company boss has been jailed for life for involvement in the production and sale of poisoned milk that killed at least six children and left almost 300,000 ill.
Parents said that Tian Wenhua, the former head of Sanlu, the dairy at the centre of the scandal, should also face execution.
More than 50,000 infants were taken to hospital with kidney problems after drinking Sanlu baby formula tainted with melamine, a chemical normally used to make plastics and fertiliser.
Investigators said middle men who bought milk from farmers and sold it on to dairies had watered it down and mixed it with the chemical, which creates the appearance of higher protein levels.
The intermediate people’s court sentenced Zhang Yujun (40) to death for making and selling more than 600 tonnes of “protein powder” laced with melamine. Prosecutors said he was “fully aware of the harm” it created.
Geng Jinping was sentenced to death for producing and selling toxic food.
The official China Dailywebsite said he had added the powder to milk.
A third man received a suspended death sentence, which is usually commuted to life in prison.
Yesterday dozens of police guarded the court in Shijiazhuang, the industrial city south of Beijing where Sanlu was based. Activists said officers had detained two parents to stop them attending the trial.
Families say they have been put under pressure to drop a compensation claim.
The verdicts and sentences were closed to the public, but a court spokesman briefed reporters outside.
Tian was fined 20 million yuan (€2.6 million), while Sanlu, which has been declared bankrupt, was fined 50 million yuan (€6.5 million).
A total of 21 people involved in the scandal were sentenced yesterday, with two further defendants receiving life terms and three former Sanlu executives sent to prison for between five and 15 years. – ( Guardianservice)