Former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Central Standing Committee member Fang Cheng-lien (范成連) was among 13 people indicted on Thursday for allegedly bribing voters to support tycoon Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) signature drive to appear on the presidential ballot.
The Hsinchu District Prosecutors’ Office in its indictment recommended a harsh sentence to serve as a warning to others.
According to investigators, Fang before Oct. 4 raised NT$20 million (US$639,822), which he entrusted to accomplices to buy signatures for the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder at NT$400 apiece.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Investigators estimate that Fang distributed more than NT$5 million in bribes to obtain up to 4,000 signatures in clear disregard of electoral law and impartiality, prosecutors said.
To appear on the ballot as an independent candidate, Gou had to collect signatures from 1.5 percent of the electorate in the last election, or 289,667 people.
Although he was eligible to run after collecting 902,389 valid signatures, Gou decided not to register.
The KMT last month voted to expel Fang from the party for aiding in Gou’s signature drive.
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