The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division (SID) yesterday questioned four people in its investigation into a corruption scandal involving former Executive Yuan secretary-general Lin Yi-shih (林益世).
Lin’s aide, Nieh Tsun-hsien (聶存賢), and Lin Yi-shih’s mother, Shen Juo-lan (沈若蘭), were seen entering the SID building in the morning.
SID spokesman John Chang (張進豐) said the SID interviewed three people as witnesses yesterday.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Shen went to meet prosecutors without being summoned, he said.
Chang said SID prosecutors decided to interview Shen after they held a meeting to discuss how to deal with her.
Local media speculated that a piece of luggage Shen brought to the SID office could contain some bribery money she wanted to return to the national coffers in exchange for a lighter sentence for her son, but Chang said that he could not confirm this rumor.
Meanwhile, Lin’s wife, Peng Ai-chia (彭愛佳), was released early yesterday morning after 10 hours of questioning.
Chen Chi-hsiang (陳啟祥), head of Ti Yung Co, a metal-recycling company, has accused Lin of accepting a bribe of NT$63 million (US$2.15 million) to help him secure procurement contracts from China Steel Corp (CSC) and two of its subsidiaries in 2010, and of asking for a further NT$83 million this year.
Chen was questioned and then released without bail by prosecutors on Saturday.
Prosecutors in charge of the case said the key evidence that convinced them that the charges could be true were two recordings of Lin allegedly negotiating with Chen about bribes on Feb. 25 and March 10 this year.
Chen handed the tapes to prosecutors after his company allegedly failed to renew its slag treatment contract with CSC because he refused Lin’s request for a bribe, according to prosecutors.
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