Two candidates detained for bribery

The two candidates, Wu Shu-nu and Chen Fu-hsing have been detained on charges that they offered NT$500 for a vote, according to the United Evening News.

Wu, running for a seat on the Hsinchu County Council, was summoned to an interrogation Tuesday.

She was arrested as soon as she arrived at the prosecutors' office. Prosecutors shortly afterwards submitted an application for her detention, which was subsequently approved.

In Miaoli, Chen had been implicated in a vote-buying case that prosecutors had already cracked down on several days ago, the paper said, adding NT$5.25 million in cash had been seized.

Chen, a candidate in the Miaoli County Council race, was questioned Tuesday. Despite his denial, he was remanded to custody, the paper said.

Two suspects, Huang Ching-lung and Lin Teh-chou, were questioned by prosecutors in Chiayi Tuesday night for allegedly buying votes for a candidate running in the Chiayi City Council race, the paper said.

The Chiayi District Court later granted prosecutors' request to have the suspects detained.

Also in Chiayi, Chang Ju-lin was detained Tuesday night in another vote-buying case, according to the paper.

Chang is suspected of offering NT$1,000 for each vote in support of a candidate in the Chiayi County Council race.

Prosecutors yesterday questioned another 23 people in connection with allegations against a hopeful aspiring to become chief of a village.

Vice Justice Minister Wu Chen-huan told lawmakers that as of Nov. 21, government authorities had received 2,568 pieces of information concerning alleged irregularities in the elections, and 23 people had been charged in 23 cases.

Asked if this year's elections have seen improvements in terms of vote-buying, Wu said he has not made comparisons.

But he admitted that vote-buying still exists, and law enforcement authorities will be all-out cracking down on it.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos Respond to this email