Suspect in Vote-buying Case Remains at Large 台南正副議長賄選案 邱莉莉.林志展等交保

The Tainan City Council's speaker and deputy speaker have been charged with vote-buying offenses. Speaker Chiu Li-li and five others were questioned and posted bail. Former DPP Central Executive Committee member Kuo Tsai-chin was kept in detention while Yang Chih-chiang was released.

This is Tainan City Councilor Lin Yi-ting's service office. She's not there. Her father, Tainan City Fisheries Association Director-General Lin Shih-chieh, was previously summoned to meet prosecutors over the Tainan City Council speaker and deputy speaker vote-buying scandal. He has so far refused to show up. Prosecutors requested the detention of former DPP Central Executive Committee member Kuo Tsai-chin and Yuan Shan International Development Co. chairperson Yang Chih-chiang. They were questioned for 30 hours. At 11 p.m. on Jan. 4, a court ruled that Yang was free to go but would be recalled for questioning.

Yang Chih-chiang, President, Yuan Shan Int'l Development Co.: “The speaker election was monitored, and I was apparently mentioned during telephone conversations so I was called in to clarify the situation.”

Yang said he didn't support any speaker candidates, and the NT$8 million in cash that was found had a use.

Yang Chih-chiang, President, Yuan Shan Int'l Development Co.: “No, I absolutely did not (support a specific candidate for speaker). Former Speaker Kuo is a good friend of mine. (The NT$8 million) was mediation money to buy a piece of industrial land. They released it, I don't know. It's better this way, to have the cash go in and out, it's safer.”

Kuo was kept in detention and not allowed to have visitors because Lin failed to show up.

Liu Hsiu-chun, Presiding Judge, Admin. Court, Tainan District Court: “The judge believed that based on exhibits including the testimony of the witnesses in the detention application and communication surveillance transcripts, the defendant committed the offense of interference with voting, which violates the first provision of Article 142 of the Criminal Code, which is about interfering in the free exercise to the right to vote. This offense is major, there were discrepancies between his testimony and those of other witnesses, and some accomplices have not made court appearances, so the facts are sufficient to believe there is the possibility of collusion with accomplices.”

The prosecution will appeal the court's decision to release Yang without bail.

Hsu Chia-lung, Dep. Chief Prosecutor, Tainan District Prosecutors Office: “The prosecutor in charge will file an appeal as soon as possible after rectifying the evidence. The district prosecutors office urges the defendant surnamed Lin to appear and give testimony to clarify the facts of the case.”

Prosecutors and investigators believe Kuo manipulated the speaker election and used Yang and Lin as connections with councilors. Lin has not appeared in court yet. Prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant and are actively seeking him. Prosecutors are also trying to clarify Kuo's role in the "88 bullets shooting" in Tainan in November.

來到新科台南市議員林依婷服務處，人並不在，而他的爸爸，台南市區漁會理事長林士傑捲入議長賄選案，至今還未到案。

台南市議員林依婷服務處人員說道：「（依婷在辦公室嗎？）她去會勘喔。」

除了林士傑之外，檢方聲請羈押的前民進黨中執委郭再欽，以及圓山國際開發公司總裁楊志強，歷經30多個小時的偵訊調查，4日深夜11時多，法院裁定楊志強請回，當庭釋放。

圓山國際開發公司總裁楊志強指出：「議長選舉都會監控的嘛，交互中間聯繫的電話有提到我，還是怎麼樣，來幫忙釐清一下這樣。」

楊志強澄清自己沒有特定支持的議長人選，而被搜出的關鍵800萬現金，也有用處。

圓山國際開發公司總裁楊志強提及：「（支持特定議長人選）絕對沒有這回事，郭前議長也跟我是好朋友，（800萬）買一塊工業地，要給斡旋金，他們放的，我也不知道，這樣比較好，現金嘛，拿進拿出，安全一點。」

前民進黨中執委郭再欽，則因林士傑未到案，遭裁定收押禁見。

台南地方法院行政庭長劉秀君表示：「法官認為，依據羈押申請書所載證人證述，通訊監察譯文等證物，足認被告有妨害投票自由之犯行，涉犯刑法第142條第1項，妨害投票自由罪，犯嫌重大，且其所述與部分證人證詞歧異，又有共犯未到案，有事實足認，有與共犯證人串證之可能。」

不過，檢方也將針對楊志強無保請回的裁定，提出抗告。

台南地檢署襄閱主任檢察官許嘉龍指出：「承辦檢察官將會補強證據後，盡快提起抗告，地檢署呼籲，林姓被告盡速出面說明，以釐清案情。」

由於檢調懷疑，郭再欽疑似操盤主導議長選舉，並透過楊志強、林士傑聯繫議員，如今關鍵人物之一林士傑仍未到案，檢方也簽發拘票，積極拘提。至於，郭再欽涉入的台南學甲88槍擊案，檢方將同步追查。