Is jailed gangster a nice guy? Debate goes on
A Chongqing court convicted a gangster boss yesterday of 'organising crime' and sentenced him to 20 years in jail. Nothing unusual there as the anti-crime campaign continues.
But the locals have begun a rare debate about the case. Some support his jailing, while others defend Ran Guangguo .
Yet others say his conviction resulted from a political dogfight and that the real mafia boss is still at large in the neighbourhood.
The No 3 Intermediate People's Court of Chongqing ruled that Ran, of Baima town, controlled organised crime in Wulong county.
Unlike other Chongqing gang bosses tried earlier, mainland media dug out little information about Ran. All that is known is that he began as a gangster in May 2004 in Baima and forced other gangs out with 'violent methods'. In two years his territory covered Wulong county.
The gang ran various businesses, some illegal, such as gambling, and some legitimate, such as sand mining. Members received monthly salaries and subsidised housing, and if anyone was jailed, their families received financial and social aid.
'A gangster should commit crime in style,' Ran was once quoted by China News Service as saying. What he meant was that members in the organisation should adhere to certain moral standards, and operate with courage and responsibility.
Wulong residents debated his conviction yesterday on Baidu.com.
Some said Ran was a good person and had been framed.
'He protects the weak and dares to stand out when there is unfairness. He is a nice guy,' one resident wrote.
Some said that he deserved his sentence.
'The streets have become quiet after his arrest,' another resident wrote. 'Even those little gangsters in middle school have somewhat lost their omnipotence. I hope he gets punished as soon as possible to set people's minds at ease.'
Most residents, however, rejected the government's claim that Ran was the No1 boss in Wulong.
'We all know who the real boss of Wulong is. Ran is a scapegoat,' a resident wrote.
Also yesterday, the municipal legislature formally relieved Wen Qiang, the disgraced judicial tsar, of his position five months after the official announcement of his arrest.
