Mboweni doesn't agree with death penalty for the corrupt: 'I agree with severe sentences such as life'

Finance minister Tito Mboweni has weighed in on the former chair of China Huarong Asset Management Lai Xiaomin's death sentence, saying he does not agree with it.

According to Business Day, Xiaomin was sentenced to death for taking bribes, corruption and bigamy, in one of China's biggest financial crime cases.

He was found guilty of receiving a total of 1.79bn yuan (R4.19bn) in bribes between 2008 and 2018, according to the local court of Tianjin City. All his personal assets will be confiscated, the court ruled.

On Wednesday, Mboweni said he does not agree with the death penalty as punishment for corrupt people.

He said “severe sentences” were much better, arguing that “human rights thinking people” would agree with him.

On social media, many users disagreed with Mboweni, saying the death penalty was “perfect if you're corrupt and steal from people in need”. Others said the death penalty was a “big no”.

Here is a snapshot of what some had to say: