The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the government to pay a Taoyuan man NT$200,000 in compensation for 40 days of wrongful detention nearly three decades ago.
According to court papers, Chuang Sung-lin (莊松霖), a 51-year-old Taoyuan resident, was illegally detained for 40 days and then sentenced to a three-year probation period in 1973 for humiliating late president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) by saying that Chiang didn't know how to show he was grateful. Chiang was then the premier.
Court documents said that at the time, Chuang held a religious ceremony to show the gratitude of his family toward their ancestors and had invited a number of friends and colleagues.
During the gathering, which included dinner, one of Chuang's co-workers told him that the affair violated a request by Premier Chiang Ching-kuo that people not waste money on unnecessary activities.
Chuang was so upset when he heard this that he said, "Chiang doesn't know how to be thankful, but I do," and then he exclaimed, "Long live Chairman Mao!"
Chuang's behavior was reported to local police and he was immediately arrested. After the trial, the court decided to free Chuang, but sentenced him to a three-year probation period.
"According to the Law of Compensation for Wrongful Detentions and Executions (冤獄賠償法), the court decided that Chuang's case was a miscarriage of justice" said Chen Shih-tsung (陳世宗), a spokesman of the Taoyuan District Court.
"As for his being illegally detained for 40 days, the court decided to pay him NT$5,000 a day in compensation, which is a total of NT$200,000 in compensation" Chen said
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