Hsinchu County Magistrate Acquitted in 'Sinkhole Case' Corruption Trial

Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke has been acquitted in the first trial of a corruption case involving the "Fengcai 520" construction project and subsequent sinkhole incidents. The Hsinchu District Court ruled Yang not guilty on charges including violating the Anti-Corruption Act, contravening building regulations, and perjury.

The case stemmed from allegations that Yang, despite ongoing investigations into the cause of the sinkholes and incomplete remedial measures, allegedly intervened at the behest of the developers. Prosecutors accused him of instructing the Public Works Department to assist in removing obstacles to the project's resumption, thereby colluding with former department director Chiang Liang-yuan to illegally benefit the construction firm.

Prosecutors had argued that Yang, leveraging his position and the trust of county residents, allegedly accepted benefits such as campaign office usage, meal vouchers, and entertainment from the developers. They claimed he had multiple private meetings with the developers and, before the accident's cause was clarified, allegedly protected the project's resumption. He was also accused of instructing subordinates to approve a rescue plan that should have undergone professional committee review, undermining professional judgment and public trust in safety oversight.

In contrast, former Public Works Department Director Chiang Liang-yuan was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with four years of civil rights deprivation. A case handler surnamed Huang received a five-year and two-month sentence with three years of civil rights deprivation. The Feng Enterprises group's responsible person Liu Shu-chu and general manager Chiu Chung-che were sentenced to three years and six months. Notably, all charges related to violating the Building Act were dismissed, and the defendants in those specific charges were found not guilty.

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Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke was acquitted in the first trial.