Keelung man sentenced after threatening to kill mayor over water issues

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) A Keelung man has been sentenced to two months in prison for calling a city service hotline and threatening to kill Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) over an unresolved issue with water provision to his home.

In a recent verdict, the Keelung District Court said the man, surnamed Chang (張), called the city's 1999 citizen hotline at 7 a.m. on March 14 last year after becoming frustrated by an ongoing water supply issue.

Upon reaching the hotline representative, Chang threatened Hsieh by name, before going on to warn: "If you come bother me again where I live, I'll go to Keelung City Hall and start killing people. If you have guts, you can sue me."

The hotline worker notified the police, while Chang, who was later summoned for questioning, admitted to having threatened the mayor.

Hsieh, meanwhile, told prosecutors he had been informed of the threat, but was unaware of the details and had not been frightened by it.

On those grounds, Chang was charged with endangering public safety by putting the public in fear of injury -- rather than for endangering Hsieh specifically -- under Article 151 of the Criminal Code.

In its verdict, the court said that while Chang made the threats with clear knowledge of what he was doing, he also suffered from a physical disability, the difficulties surrounding which could have contributed to his lack of self-control.

The court sentenced Chang to two months' imprisonment, commutable to a fine of NT$60,000 (US$1,912) -- significantly less than the maximum two-year prison sentence allowed under the law.

The ruling can be appealed.