CHINESE COUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FORCING PUPILS INTO PROSTITUTION

China's most wanted couple were sentenced to death in southwest China's Guizhou Province for forcing 23 girls, mostly primary and middle school pupils, into prostitution. Zhao Qingmei, a former provisional teacher at Xinfa Town Primary School and her husband Chi Yao, also a teacher at the same school in Weining County, were found guilty of procuring 22 girls from the two schools, including six under the age of 14, and a village girl. The offences took place from March to June 2006 in Liupanshui City and Nayong County. Zhao was sentenced to death and Chi got a suspended death sentence, according to the Bijie Intermediate People's Court. The couple were arrested on August 10, 2007, in Panzhihua City of Sichuan Province after the Ministry of Public Security issued a Class-A arrest warrant and offered a 100,000 yuan reward for them. The gang members made 32,350 yuan from their prostitution ring. The court also sentenced 16 others involved to prison terms ranging from one year to a life sentence for a local female farmer Xu Xiaoyan.