The Kaohsiung District Court yesterday sentenced three Kaohsiung city councilors to three years and eight months in prison each, and deprived them of their civil rights for three years for fraud.
The defendants are Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member Tang Hui-mei (唐惠美), a Rukai, KMT member Istanda Ciban (柯路加), a Bunun, and Democratic Progressive Party member Eteng Ingay, an Amis.
The court found them guilty of using their public offices to commit fraud, saying they forged bills to claim NT$17,500 in bogus travel expenses.
The three councilors in November 2013 visited rural areas in Pingtung County to inspect Aboriginal communities, the court said.
After the visit, Tang’s office assistant Kuo Wen-jen (郭文仁) helped them prepare receipts to claim travel expenses for a dinner at a restaurant and accommodation at a bed-and-breakfast at a Paiwan community in the county’s Mudan Township (牡丹), it said.
However, investigators found that the trio did not dine at the restaurant or stay at a bed-and-breakfast claimed in the receipt.
“The defendants have no financial difficulties, as their monthly city councilor’s salary is more than NT$110,000. They should be representing people’s interests, and assess and overview the city’s budget,” the court said in its ruling.
“They should set an example for the public, and be honest and conscientious while carrying out their duties, with strict control and monitoring of public spending... However, they instead acted out of greed and produced fraudulent bills with Kuo’s help... Their act has damaged the legitimacy of the city government’s reimbursement procedure and tarnished the upright, virtuous image of public functionaries,” it said.
The court sentenced Kuo to 22 months in prison and deprived him of his civil rights for two years.
It was the first ruling in the case and can be appealed.
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