Central News Agency

(CNA reporter Kuo Hsuan-wen, Hsinchu County, May 13) The first-instance verdict in the Zhubei sinkhole case was delivered today. Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke was acquitted, while former Public Works Department Director Chiang Liang-yuan and officer Huang Yu-ssu were sentenced to six years and six months, and five years and two months, respectively, for tacitly allowing illegal construction for 77 days during a halted development project, benefiting the developer by approximately NT$3.984 billion. The ruling may be appealed.

The Fong Yi Group is accused of cutting corners in construction, leading to a sinkhole that endangered public safety. Public officials, including Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke, were accused of dereliction of duty and favoring the developer. The Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office indicted Yang and 11 others. The Hsinchu District Court announced the verdict today at 4 p.m., acquitting Magistrate Yang.

The judgment states that Chiang Liang-yuan was convicted under the Anti-Corruption Act for profiteering, receiving a 5-year and 4-month sentence and 4 years of civil rights deprivation. He was also found guilty of unexplained property sources, sentenced to 2 years and 8 months with 3 years of civil rights deprivation. The combined sentence is 6 years and 6 months, with 4 years of civil rights deprivation, and NT$148.35 million in suspicious assets confiscated. Huang Yu-ssu was sentenced to 5 years and 2 months with 3 years of civil rights deprivation.

The court stated that as public servants, Chiang and Huang should have upheld the law but instead allowed the 'Fong Tsai 520' construction project, which had been ordered to halt, to continue illegal construction for 77 days, profiting developers Fong Yi Construction and Sung En Company by NT$398.40801 million.

The court noted that Chiang failed to provide truthful explanations for the NT$148.35 million in seized assets with questionable origins, undermining the public servant asset declaration system.

However, the court found that after Fong Yi applied to resume work, Huang drafted the proposal and Chiang approved it based on legitimate grounds, not fabricated information. There was no evidence that either knowingly falsified official documents; thus, they were not convicted of falsifying public records.

In response, Yang Wen-ke stated in writing that the court's acquittal of him and the Public Works staff on the resumption of work proves the process was legally administered. However, he expressed regret over the guilty verdicts against Chiang and Huang on profiteering charges and supports their appeal to defend their innocence. (Editor: Lee Shu-hua) 1150713

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