Crackdown on corruption snags five more officials

Five elected local officials and representatives from various areas around the nation were indicted or arrested on corruption and other charges in separate cases yesterday.

A former principal of National Taiwan College of Physical Education was also indicted for alleged corruption.

The Criminal Investigation Bureau yesterday morning arrested Nantou County Council Vice Chairman Hsieh Chun-chi (謝春棋) under the anti-gangster Chihping Program (治平專案).

The police said Hsieh had organized a mob to assault local officials on the pretext of demanding post-921 earthquake relief and had taken kickbacks in post-quake reconstruction projects.

Meanwhile, the Panchiao District Prosecutors' Office indicted township chief Tsai Tsung-yi (蔡宗一) and Vice Council Chairman Chou Yeh-feng (周業豐) of Linkou township on corruption charges.

The prosecution in the indictment recommended that Tsai and Chou be sentenced to eight and six years in jail, respectively, saying the two ran an illegal waste dump in the township in 1996, making profits of up to NT$100 million.

Tsai had said earlier this month when he was arrested that he was innocent and that his arrest was revenge in a local political struggle.

The mayor of Taiping City, Taichung County, was also indicted on corruption charges.

Taichung district prosecutors said the mayor, Chiang Lien-fu (江連福), illegally rented out parts of a government-run market and kept the profits for himself.

The prosecution recommended that Chiang be given a six-year sentence. Chiang told the media that he was innocent.

Also indicted in the case were three officials charged with mismanagement of the market and an assistant to the city council's chairman.

Chief of Hsienhsi township, Changhua County, Huang Han-chien (黃漢鉛), was indicted for several violent crimes including an assault on a police officer.

Changhua prosecutors said Huang had intervened against a police ban on an illegal gambling house and injured a police officer. The prosecutors requested a six-year sentence for Huang.

Taichung district prosecutors, meanwhile, indicted former principal of National Taiwan College of Physical Education, Huang Chin-chu (黃金柱), for involvement in alleged bid-rigging regarding the printing of the college's publications and irregularities surrounding the construction of a classroom and dormitory building.