Former Keelung Department of Civil Affairs director Chang Yuan-hsiang (張淵翔) was detained and held incommunicado today over his alleged illegal access to the household registration system to assist the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) in its recall campaigns.
Chang, who admitted to illegally accessing information, was questioned on Monday last week, before being released on bail of NT$400,000 on Tuesday last week.
Lin Chia-tung, Taipei Times
On Wednesday the Keelung District Prosecutors’ Office appealed the ruling to release him, but the Keelung District Court rejected the appeal, saying that Chang already admitted guilt and prosecutors failed to demonstrate the need to detain him.
Yesterday, prosecutors summoned Chang once again following the discovery of new evidence allegedly showing that he tried to collude with other defendants and witnesses.
Prosecutors also summoned Hsieh Wei-jen (謝偉仁), a former local official and adviser to the Keelung City Government.
Prosecutors again requested Chang be detained, citing the new evidence, leading to a judge ruling this afternoon that he be detained.
Hsieh Wei-jen was released on NT$150,000 bail.
Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) said he had no comments on the case other than saying he respected prosecutors’ handling of the matter.
Chang allegedly used his access to the household registration system to help recall campaigns pass the first threshold by removing the names of deceased party members.
Chang on Wednesday last week resigned from his position.
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