Lawyers defending former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his wife Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) in a series of corruption cases said yesterday that while going through the video depositions of witnesses, they found a 30-minute section on one of the discs that had no sound.
Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文龍), one of Chen’s lawyers, expressed suspicion that the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office might have tampered with the recording to erase testimony that would have backed the defendants.
SIP Spokesman Chen Yun-nan (陳雲南) said the prosecutors in his division would never tamper with a recording.
The video equipment may have malfunctioned, Chen Yun-nan said.
The SIP spokesman said that he had not seen the recording in question and suspected that the soundless portion of the video could be an intermission that had been videotaped by a camcorder left running during a break in the deposition.
He said that his division would look into the matter and determine whether there was a problem with the videotape.
As for whether the disc could still be submitted as evidence, he said that was for the court to decide.
Chen Yun-nan said that in addition to the recording on the disc, the deposition had also been transcribed to ensure the accuracy of the testimony.
He said the defense counsel could always cross-examine the witness in question — Taiwan Cement Corp chairman Leslie Koo (辜成允), who prosecutors say transferred NT$300 million (US$8.81 million) in 2003 as bribes to the former president and his wife for a land procurement deal in Taoyuan County.
The prosecutors say the former president used his position to ensure the government would purchase land for the construction of a science park after Wu allegedly received bribes through the landowner.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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