The Taichung High Court on Tuesday upheld a guilty verdict against Cho Po-chung (卓伯仲), younger brother of former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Changhua County commissioner Cho Po-yuan (卓伯源), in a corruption case linked to the embezzlement of KMT campaign funds in 2012 and graft in government procurement deals in 2011.
The court sentenced him to eight years in prison for violating the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) and the Business Accounting Act (商業會計法), and six months for leaking state secrets by revealing details of the county government’s tender project.
The ruling can be appealed.
Cho Po-chung yesterday said that he is innocent of the charges.
“I did not collude with businesses, and I did not engage in corruption nor in embezzlement activities. Since I am innocent of the charges, I will appeal this ruling,” he said.
The Taichung High Court was ruling on Cho Po-chung’s appeal of his January 2014 conviction by the Changhua District Court — and nine-year prison term — for skimming NT$23 million (US$711,128 million at current exchange rates) from President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) re-election campaign office in Changhua County, and helping a company earn NT$49 million from the procurement of environmentally friendly bags the Chuanghwa County Government ordered in 2011 for the 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival, which was held in the county.
Cho Po-chung was well-connected with KMT officials and companies affiliated with the party and its members, as his brother served as Changhua County commissioner for two terms, from 2005 to 2014.
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