Taipei City Government treasurer Wu Li-ju (吳麗洳) and two others were granted deferred indictment by prosecutors for their alleged role in a scandal involving President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) special allowance funds when he was Taipei mayor.
Ma’s three treasurers, Wu, Liu Jin-jung (劉靜蓉) and Hsu Yu-mei (徐玉美), allegedly forged documents stating that some employees had been paid bonuses.
Taipei District prosecutors said because the treasurers had cooperated with the investigation after being confronted with the charges and had not profited from their crimes, they were granted a three year deferred indictment.
The three could be prosecuted after three years if they violate the terms of their probation.
The trio told prosecutors during the investigation that they prepared the documents knowing that the employees had not received the bonuses. However, they said they were following precedent and had not pocketed the funds.
The three were accused of claiming more than NT$850,000 in funds by submitting forged receipts to Yu Wen (余文), who served as Ma’s secretary at the time.
In February 2007, the Special Investigation Panel of the Taiwan High Court Prosecutors’ Office indicted Ma and Yu on charges of corruption.
Prosecutors alleged that Ma embezzled more than NT$12 million (US$400,000) from the mayoral fund with Yu’s help.
The Taipei District Court handed down the first verdict on Aug. 14, 2007.
Ma was found not guilty, while Yu was sentenced to 14 months in prison, which was later reduced to 12 months by the Taiwan High Court.
The ruling was approved by the Supreme Court.
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