From the Taipei Times:
Taipei Times article (loaded slowly for me)
China Post article
NOW News video
Anyone have any more information or insights in addition to what’s in the news (provided they won’t get into any trouble for disclosing it, of course)?
I’d be interested to know when the four were appointed to the High Court, and by whom.
No insights, wondering why it’s taken 5 years to get to this point. Good work by the prosectors if these guys took cash.
I’m pleased, and a little surprised, to see the sentences are so serious, as stuff like this completely destroys any misplaced faith one might still have in Taiwan’s justice system. Slimy bastards. Just too bad they let one of them flee, as they always do in Taiwan.
[quote]Taipei District Court yesterday approved the incommunicado detention of three High Court judges, a Banciao prosecutor and two other persons involved in a corruption case in which a former lawmaker gave millions in bribes in return for a favorable verdict. . .
Former Kuomintang lawmaker Her Jyh-huei left a short while before investigators searched his home Tuesday and could not be found . . . said they would apprehend Her as soon as possible and would issue an arrest warrant if the ex-lawmaker fails to show up. . .
Her was found guilty of corruption and breach of faith in the Tongluo Science Park development project and sentenced to 19 years in jail by the first trial in November 2006. Two years later, the second trial participated by Lin reduced Her’s sentence to 15 years. . . [/quote]
chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national … -Court.htm
Sounds like the new prosecutor general is cleaning house. Good.
So far I haven’t been able to find that out. Here’s an excerpt from 2002 article by Brian L. Kennedy that gives a brief description of then-prospective changes in the method of selection of judges:
[quote]First, the method of selecting judges is set to be changed. Under the current system, students who graduate from undergraduate law departments are eligible to sit for the judges and prosecutors examination. If they pass, they go on to study at the Judges and Prosecutors Training Institute for a year and a half. Some–through a fairly arcane process–are eventually selected to be judges, while others become prosecutors. Then, without further ado, they sit on the bench.
This method relied exclusively on test scores. Soon, however, judges will be selected from among practicing attorneys and prosecutors. A judicial appointments committee working within the Judicial Yuan will make the selection. The exact criteria that will be used and procedures that will be followed have yet to be determined. [/quote] [taiwanauj.nat.gov.tw/fp.asp?xIte ... CtNode=122](http://taiwanauj.nat.gov.tw/fp.asp?xItem=19314&CtNode=122)
This is from a U.S. State Department human rights report for 2004:
[quote]An independent committee using secret ballots decides judicial appointments and promotions. [/quote] state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/42641.htm
So I guess that’s how they do it now. Of course, for all I know, one or more of these judges could have been appointed to the High Court before the change in the system.
[quote=“Mother Theresa”]Just too bad they let one of them flee, as they always do in Taiwan.[/quote] I don’t know enough about how things work here to know exactly how Ho Chi-hui (the former Miaoli County Commissioner) was able to escape, but I guess all it takes is a tip from someone in the know.
How come he was out on bail even though he was a flight risk?
I think it’s a question of ethics aswell when you see 3 high court judges proven to taken bribes.
Because he was a KMT legislator and therefore deserved bail.
…Despite the fact that numerous former KMT officials/legislators have also disappeared whilst on bail.
I believe this video contains a segment showing Mr. Ho Chi-hui on surveillance camera, riding away on his scooter:
youtube.com/watch?v=G_aKKxVKHm8
Who will clean house and do it without politics?
Do you really think that this is the first time that ANY politcal party in this country was corrupt? Hell, look back at the history of the KMT. Did they now change their flavor and clothing? Or maybe just a shade. I don’t advocate for either but one has to wonder about the present politics- not KMT or DPP. DPP has it’s own problems of corruption. What the hell is going on here?
Lock the corrupt people up. (Is this situation calling the kettle black?) But remember, in a democracy, they are not yet (the furtive few) guilty. Does this intense investigation have anything to do with Abien and his appeal? Who knows. One can only wonder. Why wasn’t this crackdown done before? I can only imagine that, for several years the powers who at charge, worry about a High Court finding Abien, “Not Guilty” and setting him free, much to the anguish of the “ruling party”. Why has not this corruption discovered before now? We all knew and yet nobody complained or did anything about it.
Come on.
Let’s have a democratic society.
As an aside;
My SO read this and asked me to delete it because it may cause difficulty for her and her family. Why would she be concerned about “freedom of speech”? Maybe she has reason to be concerned.
I have been here nearly 9 years and still I speak out against corrupt officials. She is fearful. Why?
Who will clean house and do it without politics?
Do you really think that this is the first time that ANY politcal party in this country was corrupt? Hell, look back at the history of the KMT. Did they now change their flavor and clothing? Or maybe just a shade. I don’t advocate for either but one has to wonder about the present politics- not KMT or DPP. DPP has it’s own problems of corruption. What the hell is going on here?
Lock the corrupt people up. (Is this situation calling the kettle black?) But remember, in a democracy, they are not yet (the furtive few) guilty. Does this intense investigation have anything to do with Abien and his appeal? Who knows. One can only wonder. Why wasn’t this crackdown done before? I can only imagine that, for several years the powers who at charge, worry about a High Court finding Abien, “Not Guilty” and setting him free, much to the anguish of the “ruling party”. Why has not this corruption discovered before now? We all knew and yet nobody complained or did anything about it.
Come on.
Let’s have a democratic society.
As an aside;
My SO read this and asked me to delete it because it may cause difficulty for her and her family. Why would she be concerned about “freedom of speech”? Maybe she has reason to be concerned.
I have been here nearly 9 years and still I speak out against corrupt officials. She is fearful. Why?[/quote]
I have no idea what most of that means. I don’t know why your girlfriend is fearful about your post, and I don’t really know how you’re having been here nearly nine years relates to the topic. The last few prosecutors general were chosen by then-President Chen as far as I know. The last one declined to leave office when the current administration took power. I assume that, for all his leadership problems, President Ma, as a former justice minister with a reputation for being anti-corruption, most likely has many connections over there and selected who he thought would do the best job. Perhaps he’ll screw up like most other officials here on both sides, but I still see this as a good sign.
ROFL. Maybe among those at the denser end of the Deep Blue spectrum. But those of us more engaged in the real world have noted that Ma downloaded government funds just like everyone else; indeed, everyone does it was his defense when busted with guvmint funds in his accounts.
ROFL. Maybe among those at the denser end of the Deep Blue spectrum. But those of us more engaged in the real world have noted that Ma downloaded government funds just like everyone else; indeed, everyone does it was his defense when busted with guvmint funds in his accounts.[/quote]
Whatever, your opinion on who is and who is not living in “the Real Taiwan” is another thread. I just said that was his reputation, and his former position did put him in a position to have such contacts.
I think my use of the word charges may have been inaccurate, so I changed the title. I don’t know whether they’ve been formally charged–I’m pretty sure they haven’t been indicted (by the way, what’s called an indictment in English here would be called an information or bill of information in the U.S.–an indictment is returned by a grand jury in the U.S.). Anyway, just in case, I deleted the word charges.
This whole thing looks pretty dramatic to me. But it’s hard to tell what’s going on. I really need to learn Chinese.
Instant Editorial - for immediate release
This is a KMT/DPP* conspiracy against the lawful human rights of upstanding KMT/DPP* representatives/judges/gangsters* who have been victimised/steadfastly supported* by the ruling party/opposition* for tens/hundreds/thousands* of years and until this shower of bastards is replaced/elected* there will be no peace in this country/province/island* even my friend who used to be deep Blue/Green* is appalled /on the lam since Tuesday* … (cont. for 94 pages)
*delete as appropriate
[quote=“Charlie Jack”]I think my use of the word charges may have been inaccurate, so I changed the title. I don’t know whether they’ve been formally charged–I’m pretty sure they haven’t been indicted (by the way, what’s called an indictment in English here would be called an information or bill of information in the U.S.–an indictment is returned by a grand jury in the U.S.). Anyway, just in case, I deleted the word charges.
This whole thing looks pretty dramatic to me. But it’s hard to tell what’s going on. I really need to learn Chinese.[/quote]
This is good motivation for you to learn…that’s the most important thing about learning a language!
[quote=“headhonchoII”][quote=“Charlie Jack”]I think my use of the word charges may have been inaccurate, so I changed the title. I don’t know whether they’ve been formally charged–I’m pretty sure they haven’t been indicted (by the way, what’s called an indictment in English here would be called an information or bill of information in the U.S.–an indictment is returned by a grand jury in the U.S.). Anyway, just in case, I deleted the word charges.
This whole thing looks pretty dramatic to me. But it’s hard to tell what’s going on. I really need to learn Chinese.[/quote]
This is good motivation for you to learn…that’s the most important thing about learning a language![/quote]
That’s true. Motivation is important.
[quote=“Lord Lucan”]Instant Editorial - for immediate release
This is a KMT/DPP* conspiracy against the lawful human rights of upstanding KMT/DPP* representatives/judges/gangsters* who have been victimised/steadfastly supported* by the ruling party/opposition* for tens/hundreds/thousands* of years and until this shower of bastards is replaced/elected* there will be no peace in this country/province/island* even my friend who used to be deep Blue/Green* is appalled /on the lam since Tuesday* … (cont. for 94 pages)
*delete as appropriate[/quote]
Great post.