County councilor gets 9 years in prison for corruption

Taipei, June 19 (CNA) Hsinchu County Councilor Chang I-sheng (張益生) has been sentenced to nine years in jail for corrupt practices ahead of the 2022 nationwide local elections, according to the Hsinchu District Court.

As part of the verdict, announced on June 14, Chang will also be deprived of civil rights for five years and will have his illicit gains seized for breaching the Anti-Corruption Act.

The verdict can be appealed, the ruling said.

Chang was found guilty of soliciting NT$546,000 (US$16,851) worth of bribes from five campground operators between August 2022 and the year-end local elections to finance his re-election bid.

Chang claimed that he had the ability to influence the county government's road projects near the campsites. He solicited bribes from the operators, and subsequently demanded they pay him higher amounts, which judges deemed "malicious," the ruling said.

Chang denied any wrongdoing.

The judges commented that he appeared to show little remorse for the offenses committed over a short period, the ruling said.

Chang succeeded in his reelection bid and subsequently retained his post as a county councilor.