The Taiwan High Court yesterday found former New Party legislator Elmer Fung (馮滬祥) not guilty on a charge of raping his Philippine housekeeper in 2004.
Fung had been found guilty by the Taipei District Court and convicted twice by the Taiwan High Court, but after the Philippine woman appeared as a witness and withdrew her accusation, Fung was found not guilty by the Taiwan High Court.
Prosecutors said they could take the case to the Supreme Court.
The Philippine woman, identified only as Rose, accused Fung of raping her in August 2004, and provided prosecutors with the underwear she wore after the alleged rape and a pair she said she wore after she took a shower six hours after the incident.
After the Philippine woman filed the lawsuit, Fung agreed to pay her NT$800,000 in compensation.
Rose’s supporters claimed that the cash was hush money.
Prosecutors and forensic scientists found DNA on the maid’s underwear that matched Fung’s. The victim’s injuries and her statements also corroborated the accusation that Fung had sexually assaulted her, prosecutors had said.
Fung told judges that his former maid had framed him by taking semen from a condom he had used when having intercourse with his wife and smearing it inside her underwear. Fung yesterday said he was glad the court had cleared his reputation.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
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