‘Kidney for an Ipad’ case goes on trial in China

THE BIZARRE CASE of a lad who traded his kidney for an Ipad has gone to court in China, with the surgeon who performed the operation facing up to 10 years' imprisonment.

The case dates back to April of last year when it was revealed that a teenager sold one of his kidneys so he could afford to buy an Ipad 2.

Speaking in June 2011 after he admitted to his mother what he had done, the then 17 year old Wang Shangkun said, "I wanted to buy an Ipad 2 but could not afford it. A broker contacted me on the Internet and said he could help me sell one kidney for 20,000 yuan (around £1,900)."

Now the case of the kidney for Ipad trade has made its way to trial in China, where nine people including the surgeon who carried out the operation face up to 10 years in prison. Shangkun's attorny is also requesting 2.27m yuan in compensation.

Prosecutors told the court yesterday that the nine people, including surgeon Song Zhongyu, should be held liable for intentional injury and illegal kidney trade. Following the operation Shangkun suffered renal failure and is still too weak to attend the trial, the court heard.

The hearing in China was to end today, with the verdict to be announced at a later date. µ