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).
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