Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ko Acquitted in Bribery Case; Prosecutors Appeal Verdict

A court has acquitted Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ko in a bribery case linked to the "Fengcai 520" construction project's sinkhole incidents. The Hsinchu District Prosecutors Office, however, plans to appeal the verdict.

The court ruled that while the construction project's resumption was approved without a "cause of accident" report, the decision-making process by the Public Works Department followed professional procedures. The court found insufficient evidence to prove that Yang Wen-ko, along with former Public Works Department Director Chiang Liang-yuan and official Huang Yu-ssu, knowingly abused their power for personal gain.

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The court's decision was based on facts and evidence. The verdict has finally cleared the unfounded accusations against me and my team, giving us justice.

Yang Wen-ko welcomed the acquittal, stating it cleared his name and that of his team. He emphasized his proactive approach to public crises and denied any wrongdoing. The prosecution had accused Yang and other officials of violating anti-corruption laws by illegally allowing the project to resume, thereby profiting from it.

In addition to Yang's acquittal, the court sentenced former Public Works Department Director Chiang Liang-yuan to six years and six months in prison and suspended his civil rights for four years. Official Huang Yu-ssu received a sentence of five years and two months with a four-year suspension of civil rights. The project's developer, Fengyi Institution, saw its chairman Liu Shu-chu and general manager Chiu Chung-cheh each sentenced to three years and six months for violating construction regulations.

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The resumption of work was decided by the Public Works Department within its scope of authority, and it is difficult to conclude that there was a violation of the principle of good faith, exceeding authority, or abuse of power.