The Taiwan High Court on Wednesday ordered former prosecutor-general Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘) to pay NT$325,000 (US$11,058) in damages to Democratic Progressive Party caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) over a wiretapping case that triggered a political storm in 2013 that became known as the “September Strife.”
Ker, who filed a civil lawsuit in 2015 seeking NT$4.56 million in damages, said he would appeal the ruling.
Ker said the wiretapping by the Special Investigation Division (SID) led by Huang severely tarnished his reputation and infringed on his privacy, as Huang had disclosed details from the wiretaps to former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who then released the information at a news conference.
Huang had engaged in illegal wiretapping and told lies to cover up his crime, Ker said.
“Huang has caused serious damage to my integrity. I will therefore appeal the ruling,” Ker said.
“Huang has lost both the public prosecution case and the civil case. It shows the clumsy tracks left by Ma in his interference with the judiciary,” Ker said. “Now Ma wants to head an alliance promoting a referendum on preventing judicial obstruction. The High Court’s ruling is a slap in the face for Ma.”
Huang in 2013 led an SID investigation into allegations of influence peddling between Ker and then-legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).
On Aug. 31, 2013, Ma allegedly asked Huang to report on the findings of the wiretaps, and on Sept. 4 instructed Huang to share the information with then-premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and former presidential office deputy secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強).
The Taipei District Court in 2016 ruled against Huang and ordered him to pay NT$620,000 in damages to Ker.
Ker and Huang appealed the verdict to the Taiwan High Court.
The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on March 14 last year indicted Ma on charges of leaking classified information and abuse of authority in connection with the wiretapping.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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