Pingtung County prosecutors on Monday filed an appeal against the Taiwan High Court’s decision last month to acquit all 12 suspects in a vote-buying case involving Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chien Tung-ming (簡東明).
The case stemmed from the 2016 legislative election, which led to one of the largest judicial investigations into illegal payments during election campaigns that saw more than 200 people questioned and 158 indicted.
Pingtung prosecutors said they decided to file an appeal after reviewing the evidence and financial records of Chien and the local KMT office.
An investigation suggested that while campaigning for the mountain Aboriginal district legislator seat, Chien gave each local KMT official more than NT$100,000 (US$3,235 at current exchange rate) in exchange for a list of the names of party cadres, campaign workers, and town and village residents affiliated with the party.
Prosecutors cited testimony from witnesses and suspects, with one person quoted as saying: “We were told to disburse money to residents in the voting constituencies, and to instruct them to vote for Chien when they receive the money. Patry cadres were paid NT$3,000 each, while regular party members were given NT$1,500 each.”
During the trial, Chien, his campaign staff and KMT officials admitted to disbursing money to party workers and residents, but said it was not vote-buying, but rather payment or reimbursement for their work on the election campaign.
On April 3, the Taiwan High Court’s Kaohsiung Branch overturned an earlier verdict and acquitted Chien and 11 other defendants of all charges.
In the first ruling in June 2017, Chien was given a five-year and six-month prison sentence. It was reduced to four years in the second ruling in January last year.
Pingtung prosecutors said that the judges in the last trial had erred in assessing the financial records, as Chien and the KMT had provided proof of hiring people to work on the campaign and documents that they paid a total of NT$177,500 for labor insurance.
Assuming the campaign had paid NT$355 in labor insurance premium per person per month, it should have employed 200 people for the job.
However, prosecutors said they only found 84 people listed as having labor insurance coverage.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
RSS