Former Nantou Magistrat Lee Chao-ching (CNA file photo)

Taipei, Aug. 31 (CNA) The Nantou District Court sentenced former Nantou Magistrate Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿) to a 30-year jail term and deprived him of his civil rights for 10 years Monday for taking kickbacks from contractors while he was in office from December 2005 through November 2012.

The court pointed out in the verdict that Lee and his brother-in-law Chien Jui-chi (簡瑞祺), together with several of Lee's subordinates handling civil engineering projects, had taken kickbacks and bribes from contractors with an accumulated amount exceeding NT$19 million (US$584,130).

Lee was first elected Nantou magistrate in 2005, and he succeeded in getting a second term in 2009.

In November 2012, he was indicted by prosecutors for suspected involvement in a corruption scandal related to reconstruction projects after typhoon Morakot devastated the central Taiwan county in the summer of 2009.

The public indictment and the courts ruling that he be kept in custody caused Lee to lose his public office Nov. 30, 2012.

After two years of hearings, the prosecutors office in late April suggested that the court hand down the 30-year sentence and strip Lee of his civil rights for 10 years.

Lee was not present to hear the sentence. His lawyers said he is expected to appeal to the High Court.

(By P.Y. Hsiao and Lillian Lin)ENDITEM/J