An immigration officer in Taichung suspected of sexually assaulting foreign female workers was detained yesterday after prosecutors searched his office and dormitory.
Shih Pao-ning (時保寧), an officer at the National Immigration Agency, is suspected of sexually assaulting female foreign workers while supposedly questioning them in detention rooms, said Hsu Hsi-hsiang (徐錫祥), spokesperson for the Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office.
“Our investigation shows that [Shih] treated female detainees inappropriately and his actions may have constituted sexual assault,” said Hsu, adding that prosecutors had so far determined that Shih was involved in three cases of sexual assault.
The case was opened when the agency’s ethics committee received reports that Shih had sexually assaulted women, especially those with fair skin and large breasts. Prosecutors said Shih planned his crimes by avoiding having colleagues present at the questioning sessions and blocking cameras that record the sessions.
However, Shih neglected to turn off sound-recording equipment, which allowed prosecutors to review audio recordings of Shih’s alleged crimes.
Prosecutors also conducted surprise raids at Shih’s office and dormitory, and found pornographic CDs and sex toys that may have been used by Shih to sexually assault the women.
Prosecutors were also looking into the actions of Shih’s colleagues, who are suspected of being accomplices to his crimes by giving him unauthorized access to detention rooms.
Four of Shih’s colleagues have been questioned as witnesses in the case.
Hsu said they had yet to determine how many women had fallen victim to Shih’s actions.
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