A man who detonated an explosive at a temple festival in 2023, injuring 29 people, is to serve 28 years in prison after the Supreme Court rejected his final appeal yesterday.
Chao Wei-chih (趙偉志) made a bomb at his residence in Chiayi City by packing a metal container with a mixture of explosives and filling it with steel ball bearings to maximize injuries, the ruling said.
He installed a remote-controlled detonator, creating an explosive capable of causing instantaneous destruction and serious injury, it said.
Photo: Wang Shan-yen, Taipei Times
At 9:38pm on July 15, 2023, Chao brought the explosive to the 10th anniversary celebration of a prominent religious organization in Chiayi’s West District (西區), it said.
He placed the explosive at a temporary garbage collection area 2m to 4m from the stage, where large cardboard boxes were covered by plastic bags.
At 9:55pm, Chao walked about 30m away from the site and used a wireless remote control to detonate the explosive from a distance.
The blast produced a loud explosion, injuring 29 people including three young children.
The victims were taken to a hospital and none sustained life-threatening injuries.
Chao’s actions were a premeditated, indiscriminate random attack, his methods were brutal and malicious, and he made excuses and had a poor attitude after the crime, the Chiayi District Court said.
In the first ruling, Chao was sentenced to life imprisonment and deprivation of civil rights for manufacturing explosives without authorization and with the intent to commit a crime.
The Tainan branch of the High Court rejected his appeal and upheld the ruling, but the Supreme Court later overturned the ruling and remanded the case for a retrial.
In the retrial, the Tainan branch of the High Court ruled that the evidence presented by prosecutors failed to prove that Chao had criminal intent when he made the bomb.
The High Court sentenced him to 14 years in prison for manufacturing explosives without authorization and 18 years for attempted murder of children by an adult, with the two sentences to be served concurrently for a total of 28 years.
The Supreme Court rejected his appeal yesterday, finalizing the case.
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