Twelve officials from the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and seven contractors were indicted yesterday over their alleged involvement in three bribery scandals.
Two TRA deputy directors-general, Huang Min-jen (黃民仁) and Chung Chao-hsiung (鍾朝雄), as well as officials Chiang Teng-fan (江登凡), Hsu Sheng-tung (許勝通), Tseng Chien-kuo (曾建國), Lai Yung-chien (賴永謙) and others were brought to court in Greater Taichung on corruption charges.
Lin Chun-sung (林春松), the owner and general manager of Chuan Sheng Construction Co, as well as six other contractors, was also indicted.
Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office spokesman Tsai Tsung-hsi (蔡宗熙) said the officials were indicted on suspicion of receiving bribes including expensive gifts, dinners and sexual favors which were paid for by the businesspeople.
“Two top TRA officials, Huang and Chung, neglected public safety while overseeing TRA construction bids. As they have not admitted any wrongdoing, prosecutors have asked the Taichung District Court to give them heavy sentences if convicted,” Tsai said.
Prosecutors said that the TRA officials are suspected of collaborating with Chuan Sheng construction, leaking crucial information to help the firm win a bid to rebuild a section of a bridge over the Taimali River (太麻里溪) on the South Link Line which was destroyed by Typhoon Morakot in 2009.
The bid was worth about NT$800 million (US$26.9 million), prosecutors said.
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