The Taoyuan City Government removed its deputy chief of economic development from his post yesterday over alleged involvement in improper use of influence.
Wang Yun-chen (王允宸) was demoted to the post of executive officer with immediate effect, according to a statement released by the city government.
Another key person in the case, Cheng Yi-hsiung (鄭義雄), was dismissed as an adviser to the city government, an unpaid honorary post, the city government said.
The decisions were announced one day after prosecutors raided the offices of the city’s departments of economic development and labor and summoned nine officials for questioning — including Wang, Cheng and Lee Hsien-hsiang (李賢祥), deputy chief of labor — as part of an investigation into several cases of alleged improper use of influence.
Earlier yesterday, the Taoyuan District Court granted the prosecutors’ request to detain Cheng.
Wang’s detention hearing was still ongoing at press time last night.
According to the prosecutors, in one case, Cheng approached Taoyuan Department of Economic Development officials on behalf of the owner of an unlicensed factory, who was hoping to obtain a temporary license to delay his factory’s demolition.
In another case, Cheng approached the Taoyuan Department of Labor on behalf of a kindergarten that was hoping to avoid a fine after it was caught illegally hiring foreign workers, the prosecutors said.
Cheng’s efforts were unsuccessful in both cases, they said.
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