China executed two people for their role in a tainted milk
scandal that killed at least six children and further sullied the
made-in-China brand.
Nearly 300,000 children fell ill last year after drinking milk
intentionally laced with melamine, a toxic industrial compound that
can give a fake positive on protein tests, sold mainly by the now
bankrupt Sanlu Group.
A total of 21 Sanlu executives and middlemen were tried and
sentenced in January by a court in the northern city of
Shijiazhuang for their involvement in the case.
The official Xinhua news agency, citing a court statement, said
Zhang Yujun was executed for the crime of endangering public safety
by dangerous means, while Geng Jinping was convicted of producing
and selling toxic food.
It said Zhang produced more than 770 tonnes of melamine-laced
protein powder, of which he sold more than 600 tonnes, between July
2007 and August 2008.
Geng sold more than 900 tonnes of tainted milk, Xinhua added.
But the woman most widely blamed for the tragedy received a
sentence of life in jail.
Many families of poisoned children had focused their anger on
Sanlu's former general manager, Tian Wenhua, and said at the time
they felt betrayed that she would not face execution.
Tian pleaded guilty late last year to charges that did not carry
the death sentence.
Xinhua said she had lodged an appeal, but that it had been turned
down by the court.
The case was the latest in a string of food safety failures, but
the Sanlu milk scandal was also one of the worst and prompted an
outpouring of public anger.
Sanlu officials were aware of the melamine problem by early August
2008 but the public was not warned until mid-September as China
strove to put on a perfect face for the Beijing Olympics.
Melamine, which can cause kidney stones, is meant to be used in
making plastics, fertilisers and even concrete.
Its high nitrogen content allows protein levels to appear higher when it is added to milk or animal feed.
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