離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Supreme Court upholds jail term for candidate
Independent legislative candidate Ma Chih-wei, right, poses with Taiwan People’s Party founder Ko Wen-je in Taoyuan in an undated photograph. Photo from Ma’s Facebook
Staff writer, with CNA
The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a two-year, eight-month prison sentence for former independent legislative candidate Ma Chih-wei （馬治薇） for accepting funding from China during her 2024 election campaign.
The ruling cannot be appealed.
Prosecutors had been notified to take measures to prevent Ma from leaving Taiwan, the court said.
Ma received about NT$1.05 million （US$32,542） in cash and cryptocurrency from two China-based contacts, known as “Bing-jie” （冰姐） and “A-hao” （阿浩）, prosecutors said.
The money was used to fund her campaign for a legislative seat in Taoyuan in the January 2024 elections, they said.
In return, Ma provided the pair with business cards belonging to national security personnel and a directory of liaison officers between the central government and the Legislative Yuan, prosecutors said.
Ma supplied the information to maintain the contacts’ trust and secure further financial support, the prosecutors added.
Ma was indicted for contravening the Anti-Infiltration Act （反滲透法）, the Personal Data Protection Act （個人資料保護法） and the National Security Act （國家安全法）.
The Taoyuan District Court initially found her guilty of only illegally collecting and using personal data, and sentenced her to eight months in prison.
Prosecutors had failed to prove that the two contacts represented a hostile foreign force or an organization acting on its behalf, the district court said.
The High Court overturned part of the lower court ruling, finding Ma guilty of accepting election funding from an organization effectively controlled by China, and of illegally collecting and using personal data.
It sentenced her to two years and eight months in prison.
The High Court described Ma as a “local collaborator” who helped a hostile foreign force interfere in Taiwanese elections.
Ma appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal yesterday.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
