Ex-Yuanli Township head handed 11-year sentence for corruption

Taipei, Nov. 19 (CNA) Liu Chiu-tong (劉秋東), a former head of Yuanli Township in Miaoli County, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for corruption, profiteering, and violations of the Government Procurement Act, according to the Miaoli District Court.

Liu, 60, will also be stripped of his civil rights for six years, the court ruled on Nov. 7. The ruling was published on the Judicial Yuan official database a week later.

In addition, six co-defendants -- including Liu's son, engineering consulting company shareholder Lee Chuan-ming (李權明), two civil engineering contractors and one of their spouses, as well as a construction company run by Liu and his son -- were all found guilty of profiteering and violating the Government Procurement Act.

The rulings can be appealed.

Liu held office as the Yuanli Township chief from December 2018 to December 2022.

The verdict said that Liu and Lee asked an architect surnamed Chen (陳) to pay them bribes in 2022, before the tender of the demolishing and reconstruction project of a public retail market. Chen declined the request.

The verdict added that in numerous other projects, Liu and his son used licenses from civil engineering contractors to pretend they were qualified to bid, as part of their attempt to rig the process.

The pair agreed with the contractors that Liu's company would pay any upfront costs and that they would later share any profits.

Liu would then determine the bidding price and distribute the unlawful profits back to contractors after construction work was finished.

Regarding the accusation of bribery, Liu said he was fundraising election donations and was unable to intervene in tender bids.

However, an audio recording by Chen showed Lee implying Liu could assist Chen in winning the bid, if funds were paid.

The court determined Lee and Liu's actions involved a quid pro quo, no matter whether the pair were seeking rebates or donations.

The court also stated that Liu was a civil servant with legal duties, who should have prioritized monitoring the tender process of the projects run by the township office. Instead, it ruled that he took advantage of his position to enrich himself.

He was given eight guilty verdicts in the case.