Ten people convicted of violent robbery and kidnapping...

Ten people convicted of violent robbery and kidnapping were sentenced to death in southern China's Shenzhen city, with four of them given the death penalty with a two-year reprieve. The sentences were handed down by the Shenzhen intermediate court in a case involving 29 defendants accused of committing gang-like violence in a series of robberies and kidnappings during 2002 and 2003. The gang's ring leader was identified as Liang Fuji, who was convicted of 13 armed robberies involving 1.38 million yuan (166,000 US dollars) in stolen goods. Of the six sentenced to death without reprieve, He Zurong was convicted of only being involved in six robberies amounting to 170,000 yuan in stolen goods.