The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday accused Minister of Justice Luo Ying-shay (羅瑩雪) of illegally leaking information about an ongoing investigation by telling Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers that the ministry has received information that “a certain party” may purposely trap prosecutors into creating “judicial intervention” in the local elections next month.
“As minister, Luo should not reveal information about any particular case to KMT lawmakers, because if the information is correct, what she did was no different from reminding potential lawbreakers to be cautious, thereby negating prosecutors’ efforts [to bring lawbreakers to book],” DPP spokesperson Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) said.
“Luo should apologize to all prosecutors throughout the nation for destroying the results of prosecutors’ hard work, and should shoulder the legal responsibility for leaking information about an ongoing case,” Huang added.
Huang was referring to a conversation between Luo and a group from the KMT caucus on Tuesday, during which Luo told the lawmakers that her ministry has received information that “a certain party” has been planning to set up traps to seduce prosecutors into taking legal action against the party over campaign irregularities.
When prosecutors start a probe or indict people connected to any irregularities, the party would then turn the crisis into an opportunity for propaganda by accusing the legal actions of being politically motivated, Luo said.
“Luo’s remarks make us curious as to whether she was trying to remind lawmakers during the meeting to halt their plan — and if not, Luo has clearly violated the law which bans people involved in investigations to leak information about an ongoing investigation,” Huang said.
Huang added that former prosecutor-general Huang Shih-min (黃世銘) had recently been found guilty of leaking information and had to resign from the position after reporting to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and giving them information about an ongoing case.
“Luo should also [be forced to] shoulder the legal responsibility if the information she has given [to KMT lawmakers] is found to be true,” Huang said.
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