Arms broker denies role in murder

Tu Cheng Chun-chu (涂鄭春菊), a key figure in the murder case of Taiwan navy Captain Yin Ching-feng (尹清楓) and a related kickbacks scandal involving a naval ships purchase, "clarified her innocence" at a press conference yesterday

Tu, better known as "Mrs Tu" (涂太太), returned to Taiwan on Wednesday for the first time since the murder of Yin in 1993. In the company of Hsieh Tsung-min (謝聰敏), a national policy adviser to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and consultant to the Ministry of Justice, she denied during the 24-minute press conference that she was an accomplice in the murder.

Tu, a German-based arms broker, said that she succumbed to the press only after becoming tired of being hounded by the media, claiming that most of the media reports about her have been far from the truth.

Hsieh said that Tu, who returned to Taiwan to visit her sick elderly mother, has not been able to go to the hospital to see her mother since her return because of fears of being mobbed by reporters.

Tu fled Taiwan in late 1993 immediately after Yin was found murdered. Yin's body was found floating in Suao harbor on Dec. 9, 1993 -- several days after he had been collecting evidence about alleged irregularities concerning the navy's procurement of the four German-made minesweepers and six French-made Lafayette frigates.

Tu had previously claimed that she would return to Taipei only after authorities in Taiwan could ensure her personal protection.

In response to the rumors that prosecutors may enroll her in a program under the Witness Protection Law (證人保護法) -- which encourages criminals or gang members to testify against their colleagues -- both Tu and Hsieh expressed their anger about the reports, saying that she is not a suspect in the Yin murder case, and she is absolutely innocent.

Tu, however, said that she was willing to cooperate with investigators, and she would like to meet other witnesses face-to-face when she returns to Taiwan next time.

Tu was the broker between the suppliers of four German-made minesweepers and related parts and components and the Taiwan navy's weaponry acquirement program office, of which Yin was the director.

Although it is widely believed that she was not directly connected to Yin's murder, the return of Tu, a close friend of Yin, is expected to help police paint a clearer picture of the murder case and the related kickbacks scandal.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) yesterday confirmed that Tu is not listed as a suspect and that she is not barred from leaving the country.

While Tu was holding her press conference, Yin's sister Hsing-wen (尹星雯) officially brought a charge against Tu at the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office (台北地檢署).

According to Yin's sister, Tu had actually sent threatening mail to navy officials, including her brother, back in 1993 and therefore might be an accomplice in the case.