Former Executive Yuan secretary-general Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) and former Veterans Affairs Commission (VAC) minister Hu Chen-pu (胡鎮埔) were indicted on charges of corruption yesterday on suspicion of embezzling public funds to finance four legislators’ elections in 2007.
Taipei prosecutors charged that in 2007 Chen asked Hu to solicit funding from VAC-owned RPTL International Ltd and other companies in which the VAC had invested.
DONATIONS
Hu allegedly secured a total of NT$1.4 million (US$44,000) from the companies and donated the money to four different candidates in that year’s legislative election.
Prosecutors said then-legislative candidate Yu Tian (余天) of the Democratic Progressive Party received NT$1 million, while then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislative candidate Lin Yu-fang (林郁方), Non-Partisan Solidarity Union candidate May Chin (高金素梅), and Taiwan Solidarity Union candidate Huang Chung-yung (黃宗源) each received between NT$100,000 to NT$200,000.
Prosecutors alleged Chen used his government power at the time to cultivate political influence.
UNAWARE
Prosecutors said they had questioned Yu, Lin, Chin and Huang, who confirmed they received the donations but were unaware of the source. The four did not break the law in accepting such donations and were therefore not indicted, the prosecutors added.
Eleven people, including Chen, Hu, then-VAC secretary-general Cha Tai-chen (查台傳) and other Veteran’s Affairs Commission officials were however indicted on a charge of corruption over the case.
Both Hu and Chen continue to deny any wrongdoing. Chen yesterday said that he will consider his next move once he receives a hard copy of the indictment.
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