Builders and government officials were given reduced sentences yesterday by the Taiwan High Court, partially reversing a lower court decision finding them responsible for the death of 28 residents at the Lincoln Mansions disaster in Taipei County.
Residents of the ill-fated buildings, who have fought for compensation since the disaster in 1997, called the ruling "incredible," and challenged the court's rulings.
"It's such an obvious and outrageous example of corruption links between the contractors and the officials. How could the court take it so lightly?" said Chou Chih-chuan (
FILE PHOTO
"Throughout the process of negotiations, we residents have been disappointed by the irresponsible attitude of the builders and the government agencies. A lot of the residents have felt so hopeless that they're on the verge of killing themselves," Chou said.
"People say the disadvantaged can have their rights protected in court. But I doubt it really," Chou said.
The Lincoln Mansions was a housing complex with over 1,000 units in Hsichih, Taipei County. Built on hillside land, the complex suffered mass damage after rain from a typhoon caused the collapse of a retaining wall behind the complex.
Twenty-eight people were killed by the collapse of several buildings and over 300 units were destroyed in the disaster. Residents of other units subsequently moved out of the complex when serious construction faults were found in the buildings after the accident.
An investigation by the prosecution found that the contractors and the designers of the complex were responsible for the accident.
Also, the investigation identified 13 Taipei County Government officials who forged documents confirming building standards in the licensing process.
The Shihlin District Court convicted 18 defendants -- five builders, one designer and twelve officials -- in 1998, while acquitting a defendant who was an official. Sentences ranged from two to 10 years prison terms.
However, the High Court reversed the lower court decision yesterday, reducing sentences for most of those convicted in the construction fault case.
The contractor for the complex, Lee Tsung-hsien (李宗賢), who was originally sentenced to 10 years and six months in jail, had his sentence reduced to four years and five months by the High Court yesterday.
The jail sentence for the designer of the residences, Lu Chung-yao (盧正堯) was reduced to eight years and six months from the original nine years and 10 months.
Moreover, the High Court found not guilty eight of the 12 previously convicted officials on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Sentences for the other guilty officials ranged from five years to seven years in jail.
Lee, the number one target of the residents' legal actions, was found guilty by the district court under charges of profiteering, falsification of documents and professional manslaughter.
However, the High Court cited a supreme court precedent in quashing Lee's profiteering charge, suggesting the charge can only be used against public servants.
An addition to the criminal proceedings, the Lincoln Mansions residents have filed civil suits against the builders and also filed requests for state compensation.
Negotiations have also continued between representatives of the residents, the builders, and the government, with meetings taking place every month.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique