Taipei Prosecutors yesterday indicted Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ho Chih-hui (
Indicted along with Ho, for infractions against the Securities Transaction Law (
Prosecutors suggested a sentence of four years and six months for Ong Da-ming and a three-year sentence for his brother.
Chen Hung-ta (陳宏達), Taipei District Prosecutors' Office spokesman, said that prosecutors began their investigation into the case in October. Chen said that Ho never responded to summonses that were issued to him and that he left Taiwan a few weeks after prosecutors began their investigation.
"He will be declared a fugitive soon if he does not come back," Chen said.
Prosecutors say Ong Da-ming has been traveling between China, Korea and Japan since October.
According to the indictment, Ho in 1995 took advantage of his position as Miaoli County commissioner to gain a loan for which he was not qualified, filing a financing application with Hsinchu Commercial Bank in order to gain funds for his wife, who was campaigning for a spot in the legislature. The bank allegedly provided him NT$300 million (US$9.09 million) despite his lack of creditworthiness, violating the Securities Transaction Law.
The indictment also alleges that in 1997 Ho, as commissioner, exerted illegal pressure on his subordinates to approve a construction proposal submitted by Chiuchun Development Co. The company had failed to provide a complete environmental protection plan for its construction project. Prosecutors say that Ho received a bribe of NT$320 million from the company in exchange for his help in getting the proposal approved.
In 1999, Ho allegedly trafficked in his political power to again gain illegal financing, this time in the form of a NT$200 million loan from Kuo Hua.
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