Former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) was released on bail of NT$28 million (US$875,575) in Taoyuan today after being indicted on corruption charges the day before.
Cheng had been held incommunicado since he was detained by authorities in Taoyuan based on a court order on July 11.
Photo: Chou Min-hung, Taipei Times
As part of the conditions of his release, Cheng is required to remain at his residence and is not allowed to leave the country for eight months, prosecutors said.
He is also forbidden from making contact with witnesses or other defendants in the case.
In addition to Cheng, four other suspects involved in the case who had been detained were also released on bail today.
Hou Shui-wen (侯水文), former executive general manager of Formosa Plastics Group, was released on NT$2.05 million bail, while Liao Chun-sung (廖俊松), former head of an industrial zone planning committee in New Taipei City's Linkou District (林口), was released on NT$1.1 million bail.
Two of Liao's sons, Liao Chia-hsing (廖家興) and Liao Li-ting (廖力廷), were also released on bail of NT$600,000 and NT$250,000 respectively.
At a news conference yesterday, the Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office recommended a 12-year jail sentence for Cheng for allegedly receiving a NT$5 million bribe while serving as Taoyuan mayor to broker an industrial development project in the city's Hwa Ya Technology Park.
Following the indictments, the case was transferred to the Taoyuan District Court which held a hearing at 9:30pm the same day.
At 1:30am the court ruled that Cheng be granted bail of NT$28 million, the highest bail amount given to any political figure in recent years.
A lawyer representing Cheng brought the bail money at about 2:41am and the visibly-tired former vice premier left the court without speaking to reporters at about 5am.
Cheng is also under investigation in a separate case, after N$6.78 million in cash was discovered at his Taipei residence during a search by prosecutors on July 29.
Cheng, 57, served as vice premier from Jan. 31 last year to May 20. Before that, he was the first major of the newly established Taoyuan special municipality from 2014 to 2022.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS