Construction and Planning Agency officials and a former lawmaker’s assistant are among 13 suspects being investigated in a corruption probe relating to solar energy and public infrastructure projects in Yunlin County.
The principal suspect, Chang Teng-lung (張騰龍), chairman of Leader Biotech, a Taipei-based company selling health supplements, was denied bail and detained on Friday. He was formerly the chief office assistant for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Sra Kacaw (鄭天財).
Chang Chih-ming (張之明), head of the Construction and Planning Agency’s Road Engineering Division, was also detained.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei
Taipei prosecutors launched the investigation into alleged bribery and bid-rigging at the agency in 2021.
Prosecutors said they seized NT$6 million (US$194,219) in cash found inside a gift pack at Chang Teng-lung’s home, along with luxury goods, allegedly to be used for bribery.
Investigators said that Chang Teng-lung bribed people with money and hosted lavish dinners and parties with hostesses for certain agency officials who ensured that contractors passed the evaluation process and secured public projects involving road maintenance, road works and a solar-panel project in Yunlin County.
Tsan Chia-hsin (詹家欣), a section chief at the agency, was released on NT$500,000 bail. Contractors Chen Teng-lai (陳登來) and Chiang Chun-sheng (江俊昇) were released on bail of NT$3 million and NT$700,000 respectively, while contractors Huang Liang-kai (黃良凱) and Chuang Wen-chieh (莊文傑) were released on N$300,000 bail.
Investigators said preliminary findings indicated that the KMT lawmaker was not involved in the case.
In other news, Sansing Township (三星) Mayor Lee Chih-yung (李志鏞) of the KMT has been charged with corruption, along with four other suspects.
Yilan County prosecutors charged Lee with contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Also indicted were two other township office workers and two contractors.
The investigation involved alleged bid-rigging, the leaking of tender information and bribery.
Lee has denied any wrongdoing and was released on NT$500,000 bail on Friday.
Lee filed a motion to get his job back, as he was relieved of his duties because he had been detained as part of a judicial investigation, in accordance with the Local Government Act (地方制度法).
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
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