Prosecutors yesterday searched KMT Legislator Ho Chih-hui's (
The prosecutors searched 10 locations, including Ho's constituency office in Miaoli and the house of Shihtan Township chief Ku Yuan-yu (古源毓), who was a partner in the development project. Ho's other offices in Taipei were also raided.
PHOTO: CHANG HSUN-TENG, TAIPEI TIMES
Prosecutors discovered the case while investigating another corruption case involving the acquisition of a tract of land in the Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park, the report said.
Prosecutors suspect that Ho was involved in an illegal NT$1.1 billion bank loan taken without adequate collateral during the Chiuchun development project in Miaoli City. Prosecutors suspect Ho gained more than NT$200 million for brokering the loan deal.
Police have also summoned Ku's father, Ku Shih-jung (
Ku Yuan-yu's family members claimed that his father merely served as a front man in the development project and his investment in it was minimal.
Ku Yuan-yu said that Ho bought a tract of land under his father's name more than a decade ago. The land later became the site of the Chiuchun project.
Ku Yuan-yu told reporters yesterday that his father merely "lent" his status as a farmer to Ho so that Ho could buy the land.
Prosecutors have also summoned officials from the Miaoli County Government.
Ho has not yet been summoned for questioning.
As a legislator, Ho is protected by the constitutional immunity that shields him from prosecution while the Legislative Yuan is in session.
Ho is also being investigated for suspected influence-peddling in the acquisition of a tract of land in the Hsinchu industrial park. Prosecutors said that Ho pressured officials at the National Science Council, saying he could change the status of a desired tract of land from "mountain slope" to "industrial land."
The council paid NT$8.8 million per hectare for the acquisition, the report said.
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