Man's bribery attempt for tomb repair denied, prosecution follows

A man in Taiwan, identified as Mr. Zeng, has been prosecuted for attempting to bribe a public official. He sought to expedite the approval for the repair of his late father's tomb, a request that had previously been denied.

The tomb, located in Taipei's Beitou District, was rejected for repair by the Taipei City Funeral Administration because it was classified as an "illegally buried grave." Mr. Zeng had initially applied for repairs in August 2021, but the application was dismissed.

In an attempt to circumvent the rejection, Mr. Zeng met with a section chief from the Funeral Administration, who also serves as a liaison to the Taipei City Council. During their meeting on December 11th, Mr. Zeng presented a paper bag containing NT$60,000 in cash, intending to bribe the official. The official immediately refused the bribe and reiterated that the tomb could not be repaired according to regulations.

“

The tomb is an illegally buried grave and cannot be approved for repair.

Mr. Zeng confessed to the bribery attempt during investigations by the Agency Against Corruption and prosecutors. He had initially received a suspended sentence and was ordered to pay NT$500,000 as a condition of the suspension. However, he failed to fulfill this payment requirement within the stipulated time. Consequently, the suspended sentence was revoked, and prosecutors have now formally charged him with bribery.

The prosecution cited evidence including Mr. Zeng's confession, witness testimonies, surveillance footage from the Taipei City Council reception area, and official documents related to the rejected applications. He is being charged under the Anti-Corruption Act for attempting to bribe a public official regarding a breach of duty. While his confession may lead to a reduced sentence, the court will consider his actions, motive, and his responsibility to support his parents and three daughters.

“

I am here to discuss the repair of my father's grave, which has been neglected. My previous application was rejected, and I am asking if there is any way to help get the application approved.