Chiayi County Executive Named Defendant in Corruption Case

 Chiayi County Executive Named Defendant in Corruption Case 

          Source: Taipei newspapers    Oct. 23, 2012

The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office subpoenaed Chiayi County Executive Helen Chang (張花冠), of DPP affiliation, on Oct. 19 as a defendant for questioning in its investigation of procurement scandals involving Chiayi County’s Environment Protection Bureau. During questioning, Helen Chang was asked to confront her sister Chang Ying-chi (張瑛姬), who has been held in custody over the case since August 2.    

After questioning, Helen Chang was released on bail of NT$ 1 million. 
 
In the investigation of the Chiayi County procurement scandals involving the investment project for the Dapumei Precision Machinery Innovation Technology Park （大埔美精密機械園區）and the resource recycling procurement project of Chiayi County’s Environment Protection Bureau, the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office concluded that certain Chiayi County government officials had accepted kick-backs, and leaked information on the floor price and identity of the government’s environment review panelists to certain companies so that the companies could give bribes to specific targets in order to win the procurement bid. Over thirty procurement cases under the Chiayi County Government allegedly involved illegalities, according to the prosecutors. 
 
The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office launched large-scale  search operations around the island on July 31. Many people, including Chang Ying-chi (Helen Chang’s sister), former Chiayi County government official Chiu Feng-ming (邱豐銘), and several professors, were taken into custody.      
 
After questioning, Helen Chang told the media, “The unprecedented search operation and investigation launched by the prosecution have dealt a blow to my colleagues in the Chiayi County government. In particular, over the past two months, more than 40 people have been subpoenaed for questioning. Although they were all released, it has caused great harm to our team and the development of the county.”
 
Helen Chang said that she had assisted the prosecutors in clarifying relevant information, and expressed regret about the court’s decision to release her on bail of NT$ 1 million. She insisted that she was clean and able to withstand scrutiny of her integrity.    
 
In addition to procurement scandals involving Chiayi County’s Environment Protection Bureau, Chiayi County Executive Helen Chang and her predecessor Chen Ming-wen (陳明文, now a DPP legislator) were also allegedly involved in Chiayi County’s investment project scandal related to the Vanilla and Herbal Medicine Biotechnology Park (香草藥草生物科技園區), which is now the Dapumei Precision Machinery Innovation Technology Park (大埔美精機園區).

On August 1, Chang and Chen were ordered to be released on bail of NT$ 3 million and NT$ 1 million, respectively.
 

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