《TAIPEI TIMES》Tainan speaker, deputy indicted over vote-buying

MANIPULATING VOTES? Ten people were charged with offenses including bribery and coercion. Speaker Chiu Li-li vowed to fight the case in court

By William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with CNA

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Tainan City Council Speaker Chiu Li-li （邱莉莉）, Deputy Speaker Lin Chih-chan （林志展） and eight others were indicted yesterday on charges of vote-buying.

The Tainan District Prosecutors’ Office formally charged Chiu, Lin, former DPP Central Executive Committee member Kuo Tsai-chin （郭再欽）, Yuan Shan International Development Co chairman Yang Chih-chiang （楊志強）, former Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） councilors Lee Wen-chun （李文俊） and Lee Chen-kuo （李鎮國）, independent Tainan City Councilor Huang Li-chao （黃麗招） and three others, following the most recent investigation in a case from Jan. 3.

Prosecutors alleged that Lin and Kuo had met frequently with Chiu between Oct. 24 last year and the date of the Tainan speaker election on Dec. 25 to provide Chiu with information that allowed her to manipulate the results of the election.

Prosecutors said the three bribed and intimidated councilors to influence their vote, and threatened those who could not be swayed.

The three also allegedly enlisted the help of Lee Wen-chun, Lee Chen-kuo and Huang to give the illusion of cross-party support for Chiu’s campaign, they said.

The group allegedly promised to support Lee Chen-kuo’s campaign for council speaker as an independent in the next election, if he were expelled by the KMT, and Kuo promised to fund the campaign, they said.

Prosecutors said several of those indicted were charged with breaching Article 100 of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act （公職人員選舉罷免法） for acts of bribery, as well as violations of Article 142 of the Criminal Code for acts of coercion.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Chiu maintained that she was innocent, and said that she would fight the case in court.

“To win an election, it is necessary to seek the cooperation and help of everyone. Every councilor’s vote is important, but it does not mean you need to give them special promises or have special connections,” she said. “I do not know what other people have said about the case, but I will discuss it with my lawyer after receiving the indictment.”

Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che （黃偉哲） said that he “respects the decision of the prosecutors,” and hopes that “all concerned parties will seek a fair ruling through proper judicial channels.”

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES