The Taiwan High Court yesterday rejected former Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Chen Ou-po’s (陳歐珀) appeal against a ruling by a lower court ordering his detention and that he be held incommunicado over corruption allegations.
The Taipei District Court on June 4 ordered Chen’s detention after the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office questioned Chen and requested he be detained over suspicions he received improper benefits or bribes from United Logistics International Co (ULIC) during his second term of office from 2016 to 2020.
Chen allegedly attempted to assist the company by holding meetings and conducting legislative hearings to support favorable legal amendments, potentially violating the Anti-Corruption Act (貪汙治罪條例), according to prosecutors.
Photo: Yang Kuo-wen, Taipei Times
The district court then approved that Chen be detained incommunicado for two months starting June 4, citing strong suspicions of corruption and risk of flight and concerns over collusion or evidence tampering.
The district court said that based on Chen’s testimony, the detention request by prosecutors and the evidence included in the case files, he is strongly suspected of committing offenses such as accepting bribes and making unlawful gains in connection with his official duties under the Anti- Corruption Act and money laundering.
The district court also noted that the offenses Chen is suspected of committing carry a minimum prison sentence of five years.
The High Court yesterday decided to uphold the ruling handed down by the Taipei District Court, saying it found no error or impropriety in the original ruling.
The case dates back to a 2018 incident in which a cargo ship rammed into containers and equipment belonging to the logistics company at the Port of Keelung, causing major damage.
At the time, Taiwan’s Commercial Port Law did not cover private logistics firms, prompting ULIC to seek help from the lawmaker, according to investigators.
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
A Taiwanese academic yesterday said that Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng (王雪峰) disrespected Denmark and Japan when he earlier this year allegedly asked Japan’s embassy to make Taiwan’s representatives leave an event in Copenhagen. The Danish-language Berlingske on Sunday reported the incident in an article with the headline “The emperor’s birthday ended in drama in Copenhagen: More conflict may be on the way between Denmark and China.” It said that on Feb. 26, the Japanese embassy in Denmark held an event for Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, with about 200 guests in attendance, including representatives from Taiwan. After addressing the Japanese hosts, Wang
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
About nine Taiwanese are “disappeared,” detained, or otherwise deprived of freedom of movement in China each month, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday. Between Jan. 1 last year and Aug. 31 this year, 188 Taiwanese travelers went missing, were detained and interrogated, or had their personal freedom restricted, with some questioned in airports or hotel lobbies, the council said. In a statement ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the council urged people visiting China for any reason to be highly vigilant and aware of the risks. Of the reported cases, 50 people were “disappeared” after entering China, 19 were detained and 119 had
RSS