Wrapping up their investigation into the decapitation of a little girl in March, Taipei prosecutors yesterday charged suspect Wang Ching-yu (王景玉) with murder and asked judges for the death sentence.
Officials at the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office said they are seeking the capital punishment, because Wang had committed extreme cruelty in the murder of the four-year-old, known as “Little Light Bulb.”
They said the “heinous crime” had shocked society, while medical examinations have shown that the suspect is mentally fit to stand trial.
The murder of Little Light Bulb took place on a street in Neihu District (內湖) on March 28, when Wang, carrying a kitchen knife, allegedly grabbed the victim and decapitated her in front of her mother.
The case stoked public fury and led to an outpouring of grief and empathy for the family of the girl. It also added to increasing concern over public safety following a string of random killings in the nation.
Prosecutors said that medical examinations and analyses showed that Wang does not have any psychiatric problems or mental health disorders.
He was not using narcotics and was therefore aware of his actions when he committed the crime, they said.
“Wang did not express regret nor apologize for the crime, indicating that he has a vile criminal nature, would be difficult to rehabilitate and should be separated permanently from society,” the indictment read.
“Prosecutors have therefore asked judges to hand out the capital punishment and deprive the suspect of his civil rights. By doing so, they can uphold justice and order, maintain respect for the nation’s laws and protect public security,” the indictment said.
Nipah virus infection is to be officially listed as a category 5 notifiable infectious disease in Taiwan in March, while clinical treatment guidelines are being formulated, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. With Nipah infections being reported in other countries and considering its relatively high fatality rate, the centers on Jan. 16 announced that it would be listed as a notifiable infectious disease to bolster the nation’s systematic early warning system and increase public awareness, the CDC said. Bangladesh reported four fatal cases last year in separate districts, with three linked to raw date palm sap consumption, CDC Epidemic Intelligence
The manufacture of the remaining 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks Taiwan purchased from the US has recently been completed, and they are expected to be delivered within the next one to two months, a source said yesterday. The Ministry of National Defense is arranging cargo ships to transport the tanks to Taiwan as soon as possible, said the source, who is familiar with the matter. The estimated arrival time ranges from late this month to early next month, the source said. The 28 Abrams tanks make up the third and final batch of a total of 108 tanks, valued at about NT$40.5 billion
Two Taiwanese prosecutors were questioned by Chinese security personnel at their hotel during a trip to China’s Henan Province this month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. The officers had personal information on the prosecutors, including “when they were assigned to their posts, their work locations and job titles,” MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said. On top of asking about their agencies and positions, the officers also questioned the prosecutors about the Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement, a pact that serves as the framework for Taiwan-China cooperation on combating crime and providing judicial assistance, Liang
A group from the Taiwanese Designers in Australia association yesterday represented Taiwan at the Midsumma Pride March in Melbourne. The march, held in the St. Kilda suburb, is the city’s largest LGBTQIA+ parade and the flagship event of the annual Midsumma Festival. It attracted more than 45,000 spectators who supported the 400 groups and 10,000 marchers that participated this year, the association said. Taiwanese Designers said they organized a team to march for Taiwan this year, joining politicians, government agencies, professionals and community organizations in showing support for LGBTQIA+ people and diverse communities. As the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex
RSS