The Chiayi District Court on Friday sentenced former Chiayi City Council deputy speaker Kuo Ming-pin (郭明賓) to two years in prison and deprived him of his civil rights for seven years for buying votes.
Kuo, an independent, was found guilty of contravening the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) after buying votes through vote captains — people tasked with mobilizing voters — in May and June last year ahead of the nine-in-one elections on Nov. 24.
Sums of NT$20,000, NT$60,000 and NT$100,000 — intended to buy votes — were confiscated from vote captains, the court said.
Seven vote captains, after confessing to buying votes for Kuo, were placed on probation for five years and required to pay fines of NT$150,000 to NT$600,000, depending on the extent of their crimes, the court said.
Kuo, a city councilor since 1989, was not placed on probation because he “deliberately” bought 113 votes from 32 households across six wards in eastern Chiayi City, severely eroding public trust in elected officials, the court said.
Kuo paid NT$1,000 per vote, according to the ruling, which is not final and can be appealed.
Kuo on Jan. 29 expressed regret for his “unwise deeds” on Facebook and resigned from the city council.
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