Former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Chen Che-nan (陳哲男) was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in prison for accepting bribes.
"As one of the government's top officials, Chen's behavior has seriously damaged the government's image. His behavior was unscrupulous," the Taipei District Court ruling said.
The ruling said Chen received NT$6 million (US$184,400) from developer Liang Po-hsun (梁柏薰) to bribe the judges in Liang's embezzlement trial.
After Liang was given his final sentence of 14 months in jail in January 2004, Chen returned NT$3 million to him, but kept the rest.
To cultivate a close connection with the Presidential Office official, the ruling said Liang gave Chen NT$1 million in cash when they first met in 2002.
Later that year, he gave Chen NT$1.1 million when he attended the funeral of Chen's mother. Then in late 2002, he gave Chen NT$6 million to use for bribes.
Liang fled to China in 2004 after being found guilty of embezzling funds from the Overseas Chinese Bank. He returned to Taiwan on April 2 this year to accuse Chen of embezzling his money. Liang was arrested upon his arrival at the then CKS International Airport.
Liang used a sauna owner named Yang Chen-feng (
Chen was found not guilty of insider trading, the ruling said, for making a profit of almost NT$1.6 million in Chihkan Technology Co shares after he met the company's chairman.
Chen will be able to appeal his conviction and sentence to the Taiwan High Court.
He faces even more legal woes because he has also been indicted for his alleged involvement in the corruption scandal surrounding the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old