A Military Intelligence Bureau employee who was arrested for a chemical attack on his wife could escape prosecution, after the two sides reached a financial settlement at a trial hearing on Tuesday and the wife agreed not to further pursue the litigation.
The incident occurred in July, when the non-commissioned officer surnamed Chu (朱), 31, threw sodium hydroxide, a strong alkaline, at his wife, surnamed Chen (陳), 34, which caused chemical burns to her body and face, leaving her partially disfigured.
It was reported that the couple had been arguing over domestic issues and were allegedly heading for a divorce prior to the chemical attack.
The court heard that the couple argued about the wife’s cats, which frequently urinated on Chu’s clothing.
They also argued about the wife’s involvement in a controversial branch of Buddhism, headed by a self-appointed spiritual leader known as Master Miao-chan (妙禪師父), who reportedly regularly asks his followers to donate money so that he could buy expensive cars for his personal use.
At the Shilin District Court in Taipei on Tuesday, Chu and his lawyer said that they had reached a settlement with Chen and were to pay NT$2.8 million (US$93,312) in compensation.
Chen’s lawyer said she had agreed to the settlement and would not be pursuing the case.
However, there was no confirmation of the agreement by Chen, who did not attend the hearing.
Chen suffered chemical burns to her back, head and face, along with damage to her vision.
It was reported that Chen had second-degree burns on about 30 percent of her body.
At the court hearing, Chu’s lawyer argued that Chen did not suffer really severe injuries and that she had recovered, and therefore public prosecutors should not file charges of causing grievous bodily harm.
However, the prosecutor said the attack had caused serious injuries to the victim and impaired her vision, and there was justifiable reason for the indictment against Chu.
Chu and his lawyer pleaded for leniency by arguing that he had been reinstated in his job at the bureau, the military’s top intelligence agency.
They said he would lose his job if found guilty, but keep it if he received a suspended sentence.
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