Man gets 24 years in prison over double murder in Taipei

Taipei, Feb. 21 (CNA) The Taiwan Shilin District Court on Friday handed down a combined sentence of 24 years in prison to a man found guilty of murdering two people during a fight in 2023.

The verdict against the individual surnamed Wang (王) was based on conclusive evidence, the court said in a news release.

The victims were identified by their last names Kao (高) and Liao (廖), it said.

According to the court, Wang and Kao were childhood friends, and both worked for the Environmental Cleaning and Maintenance Division in Datong District under the Taipei Department of Environmental Protection.

After having a fallout at work, Kao called up Wang to meet him outside his residence to settle their dispute in the early morning on Nov. 16, 2023, the court said.

However, Kao did not arrive alone, but showed up with Liao and another friend surnamed Lee (李) while armed with knives, batons and aluminum baseball bats.

After arriving at the scene, a physical brawl quickly ensued, with Wang stabbing Kao and Liao with a foldable knife that he carried, the court said.

Kao and Liao were both later pronounced dead by a hospital due to excessive blood loss, it added.

Although Wang also sustained injuries from the attack, they were not life-threatening, and he was subsequently arrested and indicted for murder in January 2024 following an investigation by prosecutors.

The defendant argued that his actions were in self-defense, but based on footage taken from nearby surveillance cameras and witness accounts, both parties were engaged in mutual attacks, the court said.

It determined that Wang's actions were brutal as if carried out with the intent to kill.

The court indicated that Wang can appeal the ruling.