Taipei District prosecutors indicted Wu Ching-tang (吳錦堂), a former Taipei City Government Public Works Department division chief, and 17 former and current government officials and businesspeople yesterday on charges of bribery and influence- peddling in connection with public works projects from 2005 to 2007.
Wu, along with city engineers, project managers and supervisors, were charged with violating of the Punishment of Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) for allegedly demanding bribes from construction and civil engineering companies starting in 2005.
Prosecutors said the illegal activities started during a road pavement project in Taipei City that year, when the officials demanded NT$5 for every square meter the construction company paved with asphalt.
Prosecutors allege Wu received NT$80,000 for the road pavement project by threatening to find defects with the asphalt or issuing tickets for violation of regulations if the company did not deliver bribes.
If the construction company paid the demanded money, the officials would turn a blind eye to problems such as thinly paved roads, prosecutors said.
Wu also allegedly took more than NT$100,000 from a construction company during an underground pipeline maintenance project.
The officials would even request that samples of the materials to be used in public work projects, such as asphalt, be brought to restaurants for inspection while the officials were out dining, prosecutors said.
After the engineers and supervisors approved the projects, the company would agree to buy dinners for the officials and pick up the tab for massages, drinks and other entertainment, prosecutors said.
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