Taipei prosecutors yesterday denied reports that a former Taiwan High Court judge convicted of corruption had disappeared and said they had him under surveillance to make sure he did not flee the country before serving a prison term.
Former Taiwan High Court judge Lo Chi-hsiung (羅紀雄) was indicted for corruption in 1994 for receiving NT$1 million (US$30,000) from a defendant in his court. After a long legal process, Lo on Aug. 26 received a final sentence of 11 years in prison.
Prosecutors ordered Lo to present himself to begin his prison term on Sept. 17.
Prosecutors yesterday denied reports by media that agents of the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau had lost track of Lo since Thursday.
Lo on Saturday made a phone call to prosecutors and reported to them, prosecutors said, adding that they had the situation under control and that they knew his whereabouts.
Lo allegedly told prosecutors that he found it “bothersome” to have agents follow him closely whenever he left home.
Prosecutors have a long history of being concerned about criminals fleeing abroad, often to China.
Chang Ping-lung (張炳龍), another former Taiwan High Court judge who was given a 12 year prison sentence for taking bribes, fled the country months ago before the final verdict in his case could be delivered.
Other white collar criminals who fled the country before beginning their jail term or receiving a final verdict include former Rebar president Wang You-theng (王又曾), former Tuntex Group chairman Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪) and former An Feng Group (安峰集團) president Chu An-hsiung (朱安雄).
Starbucks Taiwan’s decision to charge for drink customization, which had been free, has sparked consumer backlash, highlighting the challenge of raising prices without making customers feel they are losing value, experts said. Since Oct. 12, customers who order drinks with less or no ice and ask to have the volume topped up with milk or other liquid have been charged an additional NT$15. Topping off drinks without ice was previously free, and disgruntled customers posted photos on social media showing that iced drinks ordered without ice were only half full if the extra NT$15 was not paid. The posts drew tens of thousands
EXPLANATION: Tsai said he attended events featuring various interviewees to observe them firsthand as part of his interview research Television host Kevin Tsai (蔡康永) last night broke his silence over a controversy surrounding his appearance at a campaign event for Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋), saying he had never supported Taiwan independence. “I have always hoped for friendly cross-strait relations. I have never supported Taiwan independence,” Tsai wrote in a post on the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo. Tsai, who has hosted television shows in China, attended the opening of Shen’s campaign headquarters on Oct. 4, drawing criticism from Chinese social media users and prompting some Chinese companies to distance themselves from him. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office
Major department stores across Taiwan, including Taipei 101, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Far Eastern SOGO, Breeze and Honhui Plaza, are closed today due to Typhoon Champi, while major supermarkets remain open. Taipei 101 said its shopping mall, observatory and restaurants on higher floors are closed for the day, with future hours to be adjusted based on the storm's status. Shin Kong Mitsukoshi has closed all 16 of its branches nationwide, as well as its Taipei Railway Station mall and SKM Park Outlets in Kaohsiung. Far Eastern SOGO said it has closed all of its branches nationwide, including Garden City in Taipei, citing the safety
DOUBLE-CHECK: Mandarin Airlines said that it would adjust its schedule according to weather conditions, while high-speed rail services are to remain undisrupted Airlines, ferry services, railways and national parks announced cancelations and closures yesterday, as Typhoon Champi bore down on Taiwan. The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued land warnings for most of Taiwan proper, as Champi is forecast to come closest to the nation today. Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) has canceled all express trains on its western and eastern trunk lines today, while the high-speed rail system would continue to operate normally. For non-reserved TRC services, trains on the Coast Line, Chengzhui Line, Yilan Line and North Link Line are fully suspended. Services between Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as other unsuspended routes, would operate
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