Taipei prosecutors yesterday charged a taxi driver with drugging three South Korean women and sexually assaulting one of them last month, demanding a prison sentence of 15 years.
The Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office sought the indictment of Chan Yu-ju (詹侑儒), a married man without a criminal record, on charges of sexual offenses with the use of drugs.
The incident occurred last month, when Chan, a driver for Jerry Taxi Service, allegedly gave drug-laced yogurt drinks to three young South Korean women during a one-day tour of attractions around Jiufen (九份).
Photo: CNA
Prosecutors allege that he sexually assaulted one of the three after she drank the yogurt and lost consciousness in the taxi.
Prosecutor Chen Kung-jen (陳恭仁) said investigators had conducted forensic testing and had found that Chan’s DNA matched semen residue found on the victim’s genitalia and her underwear.
The results of a test on a syringe in Chan’s taxi showed that the substance used to lace the yogurt drinks was a mixture of flunitrazepam, the main component of Rohypnol, and zolpidem, a prescription-only sedative found in sleeping pills, Chen added.
“As a taxi driver, Chan was responsible for care and safety of his passengers, but he abused the trust of the three female tourists. Chan took advantage of the women being in a foreign country, in unfamiliar surroundings, to lace their drinks and carry out a sexual assault. It resulted in considerable mental anguish and trauma to the victims,” Chen said.
“After the incident, Chan evaded his responsibility when questioned by the victims and even accused the three of false accusations, threatening to sue them for damages,” he said.
“This case has had a significant negative impact on tourism and our nation’s reputation for public safety. Therefore prosecutors are seeking a heavy punishment ... by requesting a 15-year jail term,” the indictment said.
In the aftermath of the allegations against Chan, the owners of Jerry Taxi Service said it had ceased doing business.
The firm catered specifically to South Korean tourists, with its Web site advertising tour packages in Korean along with pictures of Chan posing with South Korean women at tourist attractions.
Additional reporting by CNA
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