The Supreme Court yesterday rejected the appeals of three former Pingtung County councilors, and upheld their charges in connection with the misuse of funds in Aboriginal townships in 2007 and 2008.
The court upheld earlier sentences for former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) councilors Lin Yu-ju (林玉如) and Lien Cheng-sheng (連正勝), who were both sentenced to two years and six months in prison, and Pan Ming-li (潘明利), who received a prison term of three years and six months.
The court said that the former councilors, who were elected in the county’s Aboriginal townships, accepted bribes totaling NT$1.6 million (US$56,178 at the current exchange rate), for contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例).
They embezzled funds appropriated by the county government for construction projects totaling NT$6 million each year, and funds to buy equipment for more than 50 churches in the townships, the court said.
An investigation began in 2010, showing that the trio misappropriated funds earmarked for 61 personal computers and audiovisual systems at the churches, the court said, adding that Pan gained a personal profit of NT$536,000, Lin gained NT$243,000 and Lien gained NT$260,000.
With three other former county councilors, they booked fraudulent expenses for computers significantly above the purchase prices, with each of the three gaining about 23 percent per transaction, with about 5 percent handed on to intermediaries, the court said.
All six involved were found guilty by the Pingtung District Court in 2014.
The other three former county councilors — Huang Shun-fa (黃順發), Tu Chun-sheng (杜春生) and Lin Hui-hsiung (林輝雄) — cooperated with prosecutors and received suspended sentences after repaying the illicit profits.
Pan, Lin Yu-ju and Lien, who were originally sentenced to between eight and nine years in prison, saw their sentences reduced earlier this year in accordance with the Speedy Criminal Trials Act (刑事妥速審判法).
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
RSS