The Shilin District Court in Taipei on Friday handed down a combined sentence of 24 years in prison to a man found guilty of murdering two people during a fight in 2023.
The verdict against the man, surnamed Wang (王), was based on conclusive evidence, the court said in a news release.
The victims were identified by their surnames, Kao (高) and Liao (廖), it said.
Photo: Yang Kuo-wen, Taipei Times
According to the court, Wang and Kao were childhood friends, and both worked for the Environmental Cleaning and Maintenance Division in Datong District (大同), part of the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection.
After having an argument at work, Kao called Wang to meet him outside his residence to settle their dispute early on Nov. 16, 2023, the court said.
However, Kao did not arrive alone, but showed up with Liao and another friend, surnamed Lee (李), armed with knives, batons and aluminum baseball bats.
After arriving at the scene, a brawl quickly ensued, with Wang stabbing Kao and Liao with a foldable knife that he carried, the court said.
Kao and Liao were later pronounced dead at a hospital due to excessive blood loss, it added.
Although Wang also sustained injuries from the attack, they were not life-threatening, and he was subsequently arrested and charged with murder in January last year following an investigation by prosecutors.
The defendant argued that his actions were in self-defense, but based on footage taken from nearby surveillance cameras and witness accounts, both parties were engaged in mutual attacks, the court said.
It determined that Wang’s actions were brutal, as if carried out with intent to kill.
The ruling can be appealed.
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