Ex-Penghu council speaker receives final 7.5-year term for graft

Taipei, July 16 (CNA) Former six-term Penghu County Council Speaker Liu Chen Zhao-ling (劉陳昭玲) from the Kuomintang (KMT) was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison in a final ruling by the Supreme Court on Thursday after it upheld her conviction in a corruption case.

The Supreme Court dismissed appeals filed by Liu Chen and her former secretary, Chen Shu-mei (陳淑美), making their convictions final. Prosecutors have been notified to take measures to prevent either defendant from fleeing the country.

The court found that between 2017 and 2021, Liu Chen abused her position as council speaker by directing Chen to pressure officials over budget and personnel matters involving several county agencies and a public elementary school.

In return, Liu Chen accepted bribes including a luxury handbag worth NT$150,000 (US$4,653) and cash payments totaling NT$1.61 million, according to the ruling.

Liu Chen was originally sentenced by the Penghu District Court to 10 years and two months in prison and stripped of civil rights for six years after being convicted of accepting bribes in connection with her official duties. Chen received three years and 10 months in prison and lost her civil rights for three years.

The Kaohsiung branch of the High Court later reduced Liu Chen's sentence to seven years and six months, citing her resignation as council speaker and councilor, guilty plea, advanced age -- over 70 -- and long record of charitable donations, which it said reflected genuine remorse. Chen's sentence was also reduced to two years and eight months. The Supreme Court upheld both sentences.

Before the scandal, Liu Chen was one of Penghu's most influential politicians. She served on the county council for more than 40 years after first being elected at age 25, winning 10 consecutive terms, and held the speakership for six straight terms before resigning after her indictment.

The case originated from a 2023 investigation into allegations that Liu Chen solicited NT$1.76 million in bribes from local officials in exchange for favorable treatment on personnel and budget decisions.