Man in milk scandal sentenced to death

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-22 14:52

SHIJIAZHUANG - Zhang Yujun, who produced and sold melamine-laced "protein powder" in the China tainted milk scandal, was convicted of endangering public security and sentenced to death by a local court Thursday.

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

He became the first one to be given death penalty as the Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court began pronouncing sentences for 21 defendants implicated in the scandal at 2:00 p.m..

The court also sentenced Zhang Yanzhang, who bought the protein powder from the Zhang Yujun and resold them, to life in prison. It deprived political rights of the two convicts for life.

The prosecution said last month that Zhang Yujun, a native of Quzhou County, Hebei, had raised cattle since July 2007 and concocted the so-called protein powder by mixing the chemical melamine and malt starch.

The cattle farmer allegedly produced 775.6 tonnes of "protein powder" that contained melamine from October 2007 through August 2008 and sold more than 600 tonnes with a total value of 6.83 million yuan (US$999,000).

Zhang Yanzhang, a native from the same county as Zhang Yujun, bought the protein powder from the latter and resold 230 tonnes.