The Taiwan High Court yesterday upheld a lower court ruling annulling the 2007 election of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Liao Cheng-ching (廖正井) in Taoyuan County because of bribery.
The judges’ ruling said Liao handed out bribes during his campaign in Taoyuan County for the county’s second electorate.
The High Court found Liao guilty of giving NT$1.05 million (US$32,400) to Chen Yung-tien (陳永田), president of a club for township chiefs in the county, to distribute to the township chiefs.
The lawmaker was also found guilty of giving NT$100,000 to Liao Ching-fu (廖慶福), a village chief in Kuanyin Township (觀音), who was told to distribute the money to several families in the area to buy votes for the candidate.
The High Court’s ruling upheld the Taoyuan District Court’s verdict in October last year annulling Liao Cheng-ching’s win. He had appealed that verdict. The High Court’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
The lower court had also convicted Liao Cheng-ching of bribery and last month handed him a prison sentence of three years and six months. Liao also appealed that ruling.
The appeal for the bribery ruling is currently under review by the High Court.
At the legislature, Liao said that although the investigation records and evidence used in his trial were flawed, the judge would not order a further examination of the materials.
Liao said he hoped the Control Yuan would clear his name.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
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