Former Mayor Accused of Corruption Amidst Procedural Disputes
Defense Claims Prosecutor Misrepresented Evidence in Land Development Case
Taoyuan’s former mayor, Zheng Wencan, now chairman of Qianhai Foundation, faces charges of accepting bribes totaling 5 million yuan. The prosecution alleges this was in exchange for facilitating changes to the Linkou Engineering and Fifth Industrial Zone expansion plans. However, during a recent court hearing, defense attorneys presented recordings that they claim contradict the indictment.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge in Court
At the Taoyuan District Court’s seventh preparatory procedural hearing, defense lawyer **Shi Xuanxu** argued that crucial details in the prosecution’s case are inconsistent with factual evidence. He stated that recordings from the inspection meeting revealed that the former Director of the Construction Bureau, **Xu Wenlong**, proposed reporting the case for approval as a major national development plan in March 2017.
The prosecution, led by prosecutor **Chen Chiayi**, alleged that **Zheng Wencan** was approached by landowners, Liao and his son, at the end of 2016. They claim **Zheng Wencan** was asked to facilitate the report to the Executive Yuan. However, **Shi Xuanxu** asserted that the prosecution’s understanding of the relationships and involved parties was incorrect, suggesting a deliberate attempt to frame the evidence.
Landowner Consent Key to Development, Defense Argues
The defense team highlighted that even if the development were classified as a major national plan, the process would still require the consent of all landowners, including Liao Junsong and his son, before proceeding. They contend the prosecution misunderstands these fundamental development procedures.
Shi Xuanxu further elaborated, noting that the recorded conversations clearly indicate that the Liao father and son pressured **Zheng Wencan** for 5 million yuan. According to the defense, **Zheng Wencan** promptly returned the money and made no commitment to the development project. They emphasized that no agreement or consideration occurred between the parties.
The defense also questioned the basis of the prosecution’s charge of violating official duties, as they claim the prosecution has failed to adequately define what constitutes this alleged misconduct.
Prosecution Accused of Omitting Favorable Evidence
Lawyer **He Zushun** added that meeting minutes and translations consistently show that **Zheng Wencan** did not provide assistance to the Liao father and son in violation of the law. He argued that proposals from the Taoyuan Municipal Government were initiated by civil servants or stemmed from policy guidance, not **Zheng Wencan**’s leadership.
Furthermore, he pointed out that land rezoning and development regulations necessitate the consent of all landowners, a point he believes the prosecution has deliberately omitted from their case. The defense maintains that the prosecution is selectively presenting information to support their narrative of illegal involvement.
In Taiwan, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. According to Taiwan’s judicial statistics, corruption convictions have seen a gradual decline in recent years, with diversion and other measures being increasingly utilized. For instance, in 2023, approximately 14% of corruption-related cases were resolved through non-conviction dispositions (Source: Taiwan Ministry of Justice, 2024).
Major National Project Proposal Dispute
Lawyer **Qian Jianrong** addressed the prosecution’s claim that **Zheng Wencan** was instrumental in proposing the national construction project to unblock 9.12 hectares of land for the Liao family. **Qian Jianrong** stated that the proposal originated not from the municipal government but from the Construction Bureau, which directed the municipal government to proceed with the national construction plan.
This distinction, **Qian Jianrong** argued, renders the prosecution’s assertion in the indictment fundamentally erroneous. He indicated that meeting minutes clearly document the Construction Bureau’s directive to the Municipal Government to report the major national construction.
The magazine previously reported that prosecutor **Chen Chiayi** allegedly removed official business meeting records from the Taoyuan Municipal Government to create the impression of a clandestine meeting between **Zheng Wencan** and the Liao father and son. The emergence of new evidence now allegedly supports claims of frame-up and abuse of power by the prosecutor.