Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei city councilor Lai Su-ju (賴素如) was yesterday found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Taipei District Court. Lai’s lawyer said Lai would appeal.
Lai was indicted in July last year on suspicion of seeking a NT$15 million (US$492,160) kickback from a consortium led by Taipei Gateway International Development Co (太極雙星) in return for ensuring that it won the tender to develop the proposed Taipei Twin Towers project near the Taipei Railway Station in October 2012 with a NT$70 billion bid.
The ruling found Lai guilty of accepting NT$15 million in bribes and of using her influence as a Taipei City councilor to keep the project on track.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Aside from Lai, three people were found guilty: Peng Chien-ming (彭建銘), who disbursed the bribe money, was sentenced to four months in prison; contractor Cheng Hung-dao (程宏道) was given eight months; and Chia Er-ching (賈二慶), an adviser, received six months. The sentences can be commuted to fines and the ruling can be appealed.
Former Taipei City Government Department of Finance commissioner Chiu Da-chan (邱大展), indicted for breach of trust during the bidding process for the project, was found not guilty.
The KMT Disciplinary Committee suspended her membership in April last year over her alleged involvement in the scandal.
While the verdict and 10-year prison term are widely regarded as a strong judicial response, Lai can still stand for election for city councilor under election regulations.
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