China yesterday executed two people for their role in the
Sanlu milk scandal that killed at least six children -- one
of them a broker who sold more than 900 tonnes of tainted
milk -- much of it to the New Zealand joint venture.
Fonterra farmers held a 43 percent stake in Sanlu, though
they have since written off their $201 million investment in
the now-bankrupt Chinese company.
Nearly 300,000 children fell ill last year after drinking
milk intentionally laced with melamine.
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. Three other
former Sanlu executives were given between five years and 15
years in prison.
The official Xinhua news agency, citing a court statement,
said Geng Jinping was convicted of producing and selling
toxic food, after selling more than 900 tonnes of tainted
milk.
It said a cattle farmer, Zhang Yujun was executed "for the
crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means" -- he
produced more than 770 tonnes of melamine-laced protein
powder, of which he sold more than 600 tonnes, between July
2007 and August 2008.
The woman most widely blamed for the tragedy Sanlu's former
general manager, Tian Wenhua, received a sentence of life in
jail.
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.
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.
Fonterra had three directors on the Sanlu board -- Bob Major,
Mark Wilson and a Chinese national, Patrick Kwok -- and said
it pushed for a full public recall of contaminated product
from August 2 when it learned of the contamination. 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.
