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Death penalty over Chinese milk Two face death over Chinese milk
(20 minutes later)
One man has been given the death penalty and another a life sentence for their involvement in China's contaminated milk scandal. Two men have been given the death penalty for their involvement in China's contaminated milk scandal.
Zhang Yujun and Zhang Yanzhang were accused of involvement in producing a melamine-laced powder that enabled milk to appear higher in protein. The former boss of the Sanlu dairy at the centre of the scandal was given life imprisonment.
The so-called "protein powder" was then sold to dairies, and led to the deaths of six children and made 300,000 ill. They are among 21 sentences being handed down by the court in northern China, where Sanlu is based.
They are the first in several sentences due over the scandal. The scandal, in which melamine was added to raw milk to make it appear higher in protein, led to the deaths of six babies and made some 300,000 ill.
One of the most eagerly awaited sentences is that of Tian Wenhua, who was general manager of the Sanlu Group, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Beijing says. It caused outrage in China and has tainted the image of the country's food industry both at home and abroad.
She has already pleaded guilty to charges of producing and selling fake or substandard produce.
The Sanlu dairy was at the centre of the scandal, in which milk was allegedly watered down in order to make supplies go further and make more money.
They are accused of disguising what they had done by adding powder containing the industrial chemical melamine.
The scandal came to light last September when a number of babies, drinking powdered formula milk, fell ill with kidney stones caused by the melamine.
Illegal workshopIllegal workshop
The death sentence of Zhang Yujun was the first to be handed down by Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court in northern China, where the Sanlu dairy is based. One of the most eagerly-awaited sentences was that of Tian Wenhua, who was general manager of the Sanlu Group, which sold tainted baby milk powder.
Zhang Yujun was convicted of endangering public security by producing and selling milk laced with the industrial chemical melamine, Xinhua news agency reports. MELAMINE SCANDAL 10 Sept: 14 babies reported ill in Gansu province15 Sept: Beijing confirms first deaths from the contamination22 Sept: Toll of ill babies rises to tens of thousands - and eventually will rise to almost 300,00023 Sept: Other countries start to test Chinese dairy products or remove them from shops31 Oct: Chinese media suggest melamine is routinely added to animal feed24 Dec: The main dairy firm involved, Sanlu, is declared bankrupt 31 Dec: Four senior Sanlu executives go on trial2 Jan:Firms involved ask for forgiveness in a mass New Year text message22 Jan:A court in China begins handing down sentences class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7720404.stm">Timeline: China milk scandal
He was accused of running an illegal workshop in Shandong province in eastern China, producing 600 tonnes of the fake protein powder - the largest source of melamine in the country. She had already pleaded guilty to charges of producing and selling fake or substandard produce, and was given a life sentence by the Intermediate People's Court in Shijiazhuang.
Zhang Yanzhang was sentenced for selling on the protein powder. Earlier the court sentenced Zhang Yujun and Geng Jinping to death.
Zhang Yujun was accused of running an illegal workshop in Shandong province in eastern China, producing 600 tonnes of the fake protein powder - the largest source of melamine in the country.
Geng Jinping was convicted of producing and selling toxic food to dairy companies, Xinhua news agency reports.
His associate Geng Jinzhu was given eight years in prison.
Zhang Yanzhang, who was accused of selling on protein powder produced by Zhang Yujun, was given a life sentence.
Gao Junjie received a suspended death sentence, Xinhua said.