China’s top judicial bodies have introduced strict punishments for those who remove or damage manhole covers, with the maximum sentence being the death penalty, it’s reported. The Supreme People’s Court, The Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security have issued a joint statement, instructing courts to penalise people more strictly if they have been found to steal or damage manhole covers, the official People’s Daily reports. The statement said that the removal or destruction of manhole covers was sufficient for people to be charged with either “endangering transportation”, or “endangering public safety”. The maximum penalty for both of these charges is the death sentence. The official People’s Daily said that it was of the view of the highest legal powers that “the theft or destruction of manhole covers on the road… is sufficient to overturn/destroy a car or tram”.
“Stealing or destroying a manhole cover cannot be just identified as committing crimes of theft or destroying property. Instead, the offenders should be given harsher punishment.” The guideline also stipulates that those who work in state organs could also be charged with “crimes of dereliction of duty and abuse of power”, the official Xinhua News Agency says.
