Couple sentenced for human trafficking

Taiwan High Court judges yesterday handed down a nine-year sentence and a fine of NT$1 million (US$31,000) to Taipei physician Wang Jing-ming (王精明) and his wife Chung Su-man (鐘素滿) for trafficking in children.

"Evidence proved that the couple had sold at least 150 babies. There is no room for tolerance of this kind of human trafficking," the verdict read.

Another physician, Hsieh Chen-an (謝鎮安), was also sentenced to two years in jail, suspended for four years.

The verdicts are subject to appeal.

The case was brought by Shilin prosecutors in November 2006. At the time, prosecutors indicted a total of 83 people and sought 10-year sentences for both Wang and Chung.

In May last year Shilin District Court judges sentenced Wang and Chung to 12 years in jail and a fine of NT$1.5 million, while Hsieh was sentenced to 16 months in prison. They immediately appealed.

Prosecutors found that Wang bought babies from parents who did not want to raise them and sold baby boys for NT$350,000 and baby girls for NT$280,000.

They also found that Wang was a repeat offender and had been sentenced to two years in prison on similar charges 17 years ago.