Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chiang Lien-fu (
Chiang is the second legislator-elect to be indicted on suspicion of vote-buying after the KMT's Lee Yi-ting (
Prosecutors requested that the Taichung District Court sentence Chiang to five years in jail and to suspend his political rights for an additional five years.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Chiang is suspected of paying a Taiping Township (太平) councilor surnamed Lin NT$50,000 (US$1,500) to buy votes for him.
Prosecutors seized video footage of Chiang offering Lin the money and asking him to distribute it. Lin is not seen accepting the money.
Prosecutors said Chiang also attempted to bribe a relative of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival Chien Chao-tung (
Four of Chiang's campaign staffers were indicted along with Chiang for their alleged involvement in the case.
Although Chiang and Lee have been indicted, they will assume their legislative seats on Friday. Prosecutors said they would file a suit with the district court seeking to annul Chiang's election win.
Chiang said after being indicted that he respected the judiciary and hoped the court would treat him fairly and clear his name.
When asked for comment in Tainan, KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said he regretted the decision by prosecutors to indict Chiang, adding that he hoped the court would give Chiang a fair trial.
Ministry of Justice officials said yesterday several other legislators-elect would also be indicted based on evidence they had gathered.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
The New Taipei City Social Welfare Department on Thursday celebrated Paralympic competitor Chen Tzu-wei (張孜維), who received last year’s national Golden Eagle award for exemplary achievement by Taiwanese with disabilities. Chen, who suffers from childhood-onset muscular dystrophy, did not attend the first award ceremony held by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in November due to illness. Chen was formally presented with the award at the department, where he gave thanks to government workers for supporting his education and livelihood, the department said in a statement. Chen was raised by the Ai-hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities in the city’s Bali District (八里)
RSS