Keelung prosecutors released two household registration office directors on bail yesterday after questioning them regarding alleged illegal accessing of personal data to support a recall campaign.
Late last month, the Keelung District Prosecutors’ Office launched an investigation into multiple cases of deceased people’s signatures appearing on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party city councilors.
They uncovered evidence that then-director of the Keelung Department of Civil Affairs Chang Yuan-hsiang (張淵翔) illegally accessed the household registration system to assist with the recall campaigns.
Photo: Lin Chia-tung, Taipei Times
Chang, who later resigned from his post, was released on bail of NT$400,000 late Tuesday night after admitting guilt during questioning.
The Keelung District Court said he is restricted to his residence and barred from having contact with other suspects or witnesses in the case.
Prosecutors filed an appeal Wednesday night, requesting the court to detain Chang.
The High Court is expected to make a decision today.
Prosecutors yesterday questioned Chiang Chien-yu (江鑒育), director of the Jhongjheng District (中正) Household Registration Office, and Lin Fen-yun (林芬芸), director of the Anle District (安樂) Household Registration Office, in an investigation regarding alleged illegal access to personal data.
Prosecutors copied the household registration system’s electronic records to determine who, besides Chang, may have accessed personal data.
They found evidence in the records that a household registrar, Wu Hui-chen (吳慧貞), may have been instructed by Lin to access personal data.
Wu was also summoned for questioning and subsequently released on bail of NT$30,000, while Chiang and Lin were released on bail of NT$100,000.
Chinese Nationalist Party Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) today said he would apologize after prosecutors conclude their investigation.
He said the city government and relevant authorities would cooperate with investigators, encouraging civil servants to come clean.
Additional reporting by Lu Hsien-hsiu, Yu Chao-fu and Fion Khan
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