The Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Witness Protection Act (證人保護法) on Friday that provides incentives, such as a reduction of penalties or exemption from punishment, for suspects involved in criminal cases who become witnesses for the prosecution.
The existing law stipulates that prosecutors can offer immunity and sentence-bargaining to indicted defendants or criminal suspects in return for testimony against other criminal suspects.
The new law stipulates that prosecutors can offer freedom from prosecution for defendants or suspects who cooperate with authorities, a move aimed at combating corruption and transnational organized crime.
The legislature also approved amendments to the Criminal Code.
The amended Criminal Code stipulates that criminal rings of three or more who use the names of government agencies and public servants to defraud members of the public can be given prison sentences of between one and seven years and fines up to NT$1 million (US$33,344).
In addition, those who profiteer by hoarding grain crops, agricultural products, beverages, fertilizers and other agricultural and industrial necessities can be sentenced to less than three years in jail, detention and a fine of less than NT$300,000.
Meanwhile, the Legislative Yuan also approved an agreement on mutual legal assistance between the Republic of China and South Africa, and an extradition treaty between Taiwan and St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean.
The Taiwan-South Africa agreement was signed by Michael Hsu (徐佩勇), Taiwan’s representative to South Africa and then-South African representative in Taiwan Nicolaas Schoombie on July 24 last year.
According to the agreement, the two nations will cooperate in the investigation of criminal cases, including obtaining testimony or statements; providing documents, records or objects; ensuring and confirming identities; delivering documents and making requests for search warrants.
The treaty with St Kitts and Nevis was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) and St Kitts and Nevis Minister of Foreign Affairs Patrice Nisebette on Aug. 18 last year.
The pact stipulates that people found guilty in either country and sentenced to more than one year in jail can be extradited. The extradition treaty does not apply to those who have only been given fines.
If a request for extradition involves crimes defined by the requested country as political in nature, the request can be turned down.
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