Taichung jailbreakers' trial begins

The trial of sixteen people accused of various offences relating to May's Taichung jailbreak began yesterday, with the prosecutor requesting life for a prison official and sentences of 15 and 10 years for the two escapees.

In addition to prison official Hsu Chang-ching (徐長慶) and the two escapees, Huang Chu-wang (黃主旺) and Yang Han-peng (楊漢鵬), 12 detention house officials are also on trial, charged with neglecting their duties.

Also on trial is Huang's nephew, Hung Mao-yung (洪貿勇), who is accused of supplying two guns used in the escape. The prosecutor is seeking a 12 year sentence for Hung.

The escape occurred in the early hours of May 7. Death row inmate Huang -- his appeal against his death sentence pending -- and his cellmate Yang, convicted for robbery, took cellblock official Hsu and a guard, Ruan Wen-ching (阮文清), hostage at gun point before walking out of the detention center and driving away.

Ruan was soon released and the two escapees and Hsu, who had been suspected of being an accomplice, were apprehended by police on the night of May 19 in Changhua.

The indictment says that Huang Chu-wang had been planning an escape since April. He promised Hsu a bribe of NT$8 million in return for a route map and keys.

But, according to the indictment, Huang later decided that the escape would fail without the collusion of a prison official.

He then asked Hsu to take part in the escape, offering him between NT$20 and NT$30 million to help run a business in China.

The indictment continues that Hsu frequently discussed details of the escape plan with Huang and smuggled in two guns supplied by Hung as well as tools to be used for removing foot shackles.

In the early hours of May 7 Hsu led Huang and Yang past ten security gates without detection. They overpowered Ruan and escaped.

The indictment says that Hsu had received NT$200,000 from Huang.

There had been speculation about a collective conspiracy among detention center staff but insufficient evidence for such a charge has been found.

Prison officials other than Hsu are on trial for alleged negligence. Their alleged misdemeanors include failure to carry out patrols, a failure to store keys securely and not observing surveillance monitors.

The armed jailbreak stunned the public.

Investigative task forces established after the incident found that the detention center staff were seriously undisciplined.

The then-warden was replaced the very day after the escape and a total of twenty officials have been disciplined.