Former chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) Kong Jaw-sheng (龔照勝) was found not guilty of jobbery at the Taiwan High Court yesterday.
Kong, who also previously served as chairman of the state-owned Taiwan Sugar Corp, was indicted in 2006. Prosecutors said Kong failed to comply with legal procurement regulations when he served as a government-appointed executive of the state-run company.
They had asked for a seven-year jail term.
Kong was later found not guilty by the Taipei District Court. Prosecutors appealed the ruling.
He was charged with using NT$100 million (US$3 million) to improperly benefit others and breach of trust in three cases of corruption during his term as chairman of the company from December 2003 to June 2004.
He was also accused of granting a certain company exclusive distribution rights to market upscale collagen cosmetics products and opening a coffee shop without following the proper public procurement process.
Other charges included the improper hiring of his sister-in-law as an adviser with a monthly salary of US$3,000.
Rejecting the appeal, the Taiwan High Court said there was no evidence to prove that Kong had asked clerks to break the law or that he used controversial methods to make procurements.
The court could find no evidence that Kong had illegally benefited others. Taiwan Sugar Corp could legally negotiate pricing with only one company, the court said.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
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