Keelung Chief Prosecutor Chu Jia-chi (
The Sun Union is the Taoyuan branch of the Tiendaomeng (
Under Chu's direction, Keelung police arrested Sun Union member Tung Chi-tai (
Two other suspects in the case, Peitou's Fengnien Borough Warden Chen Chao-chin (陳朝琴) and his younger brother Chen Shih-chang (陳世昌), were arrested at their Peitou residence at around 6am the same day.
Police suspect that the brothers hired Tung to kill Chen Chin-chi after their friendship with the councillor soured.
The late city councilor was killed on Nov. 16 last year on his way to Taipei's Taoyuan Restaurant for a wedding lunch for a friend's daughter.
As he entered the restaurant, a gunman wearing a motorcycle helmet and dark clothes opened fire with a pistol. The gunman immediately fled on a stolen scooter with another suspect who also wore a motorcycle helmet and dark clothing.
On Dec. 5 last year, Taipei police arrested the suspected scooter driver, Cheng Chien-yi (
Police said they had statements from witnesses identifying Tung as the person who shot Chen Chin-chi to death. In addition, Cheng also identified Tung as the assassin, police said, although they had difficulty finding him.
Chu tried to find Tung using many methods, including spreading rumors that both the mafia and law enforcement officers were looking for him so that his friends would not help him. Tung's whereabouts were ascertained over the following few months.
Police said that Tung was picked by the gang's senior members and sent to Thailand for an assassin's training course.
After the arrest, Tung confessed immediately, police said, leading investigators to the arrest of Chen Chao-chin and Chen Shih-chang.
A senior lieutenant at Central Police University, who wished to remain anonymous, said yesterday that Chu's background and personality helped him close many important cases such as this one.
"Unlike other prosecutors, Chu takes advantage of the professional knowledge and skills he gained at the academy when he is investigating a case," the lieutenant said.
"Not only that, but since he has been a police officer himself, he knows better than other prosecutors how to communicate with police officers and work with them to accomplish the mission, while it is also easier for police officers to treat him as a pal and trust his decisions," the lieutenant said.
Chu passed the national exam for judicial officials in 1984. After an 18-month training course, he became a prosecutor.
Before then, Chu had been a police officer for four years after he graduated with a bachelor's degree in administrative management from the Central Police University.
During his career as a prosecutor, he has worked at several district prosecutors' offices, including in Chiayi, Taoyuan, Taipei, Ilan and finally Keelung. He was promoted to chief prosecutor for the Keelung District Prosecutors' Office last year.
His colleagues at the prosecutors' office described him as patient, careful and well-organized.
Other prosecutors say Chu probably now has the best understanding among prosecutors of the Sun Union gang because he has studied, researched and analyzed the gang for years.
He has also arrested and indicted at least five leaders and more than 20 members of the gang during the past five years. Police investigations have discovered that the gang now lists Chu as one of its "most wanted."
Chu's colleagues, including Keelung Prosecutor-General Tsai Ching-hsiang (
The Ministry of Justice has also honored him for his magnificent work on cracking drug cases and for his work with gangs.
"I have nothing to fear, nothing to hide and nothing to be proud of because I am just doing my job," he said. "I will keep the faith and keep fighting against criminals."
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”