A driver whose car hit a group of people, killing four and injuring 22 in Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province has been sentenced to death, suspended for two years. He will probably not be executed.

Lin Qingqi, 38, a professional driver at the Kunming Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), hit two pedestrians in a black Passat when he turned left at a crossing in February.

He did not stop his car, but speeded up and then hit a group at a bus stop, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Many people expressed surprise at the sentence, but the leniency reflects the fact Lin suffered from mental problems.

The families of the victims forced a re-evaluation of Lin's mental state, but experts from Beijing also found he had mental problems.

Afterwards, local people asked why such a man was employed to drive for leaders with the Kunming Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, the Yunnan Daily reported.

The case also revealed the poor performance of the government department's public vehicle management system, Yunnan Daily said.

The Passat involved in the case belonged to the Kunming Municipal Committee of the CPPCC. Lin admitted that he was taking his sister from their home to another place on a private trip when the tragedy occurred.

This has created a scandal because previously the city government had been widely praised by the local media for its ban on the use of public vehicles for private use.

The Kunming government was reported to have sent an investigation team to the local CPPCC committee to make sure all vehicles are used properly in future.

(China Daily August 17, 2006)