Judicial Yuan President Lai In-jaw (賴英照) has tendered his resignation to take responsibility for a corruption scandal involving three judges, the Judicial Yuan said yesterday.
In a statement, the judicial branch said that Lai tendered his resignation to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Friday, but the president has yet to approve it.
Three Taiwan High Court judges — Chen Jung-ho (陳榮和), Lee Chun-ti (李春地) and Tsai Kuang-chih (蔡光治) — and Banciao Prosecutor Chiu Mao-jung (邱茂榮) were detained on Wednesday on suspicion they had accepted bribes when handling four charges against former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Ho Chih-hui (何智輝), who also once served as Miaoli County commissioner.
The judges allegedly took bribes in return for acquitting Ho of corruption charges, including accusations that he took bribes in a land development project in Miaoli County’s Tongluo Township (銅鑼) 10 years ago that had earned him a 19-year jail sentence and a NT$220 million (US$6.8 million) fine from a lower court.
Judicial reform groups have called for senior judicial officials to take responsibility in the wake of the scandal and resign.
Taiwan High Court Chief Justice Huang Shui-tong (黃水通) has already tendered his resignation to the Judicial Yuan.
“Lai believes that he himself should take the political responsibility, and that there is no reason for Huang to take sole responsibility,” the Judicial Yuan’s statement said, adding that Lai has asked Ma to quickly approve his resignation.
If it is approved, he will also approve Huang’s resignation, the statement said.
Presidential Office Spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) yesterday said the president would discuss the issue with Lai, declining to confirm whether Ma would accept Lai's resignation.
“President Ma will continue talking with Lai. We have no further comment [on whether Ma will accept Lai's resignation,]” he said.
Ma remained silent yesterday when approached by reporters for comment.
Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said Huang had to resign to take responsibility, but that Lai could stay to carry out judicial reforms.
Meanwhile, prosecutors from the Special Investigation Panel under the Taiwan High Court Prosecutors' Office said yesterday that they suspected Ho was still in the country.
Ho fled from his residence in Miaoli County just before investigators reached his house early on Tuesday and has not been seen since.
Prosecutors have put Ho on the wanted list.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH
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