CHANGHUA, Taiwan — Changhua County Council Speaker Hsieh Tien-lin (謝典霖) has been arrested after prosecutors expanded an investigation into a June banquet at the county council that they suspect may have been connected to alleged election bribery.
Changhua prosecutors said Hsieh, his father Hsieh Hsin-lung, his mother Cheng Ju-fen, and two other people were arrested on Sept. 16 after questioning. Prosecutors requested court detention, citing concerns including possible flight, destruction of evidence and collusion with other suspects or witnesses.
Investigation centers on a controversial banquet
The case stems from a banquet held at the Changhua County Council in June that involved residents of Xihu Township and more than 10 tables of attendees.
Among those present were local political figures, including KMT Xihu Township mayoral candidate Chen Chen-fei (陳貞妃) and KMT Changhua County magistrate candidate Wei Ping-cheng (魏平政).
Prosecutors began investigating after questions were raised over whether the gathering was intended to support Chen’s campaign and whether any public resources were involved.
The investigation intensified on Sept. 16, when prosecutors and investigators searched nine locations and seized evidence before questioning roughly 20 people connected to the case.
Prosecutors allege election-law violations
According to Changhua prosecutors, Hsieh and four others are suspected of violating Taiwan’s Public Officials Election and Recall Act, including provisions concerning vote-buying.
Prosecutors said they considered the allegations serious enough to seek detention while the investigation continues. Seven other people, including Chen Chen-fei, were released on bail ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$100,000, while roughly 10 other attendees were released after questioning.
The investigation does not establish guilt. Any criminal liability will ultimately depend on the judicial process and court decisions.
Hsieh’s side previously denied using public money
The controversy emerged after questions were publicly raised about the purpose and financing of the banquet.
Hsieh’s office and the Changhua County Council previously said the gathering was a social event rather than an election activity and maintained that no county council budget, speaker’s discretionary funds or other public funds were used.
Hsieh’s office said it paid for the meal.
Those statements are now being examined against evidence collected by prosecutors and investigators.
Political implications in Changhua
The case has attracted attention because Hsieh is a senior figure in Changhua’s local political establishment and a member of the Kuomintang (KMT).
The investigation also involves political figures preparing for Taiwan’s upcoming local elections, making the case particularly significant for local politics in Changhua. Taiwan News reported that the investigation could have implications for several local political campaigns and for the county council’s future leadership contest.
The KMT has said it respects the legal process while emphasizing the presumption of innocence. Party officials have also questioned aspects of the prosecution’s detention request, while Democratic Progressive Party figures have urged that the investigation be allowed to proceed through the legal process.
What happens next?
The immediate focus now shifts to the court, which will determine whether Hsieh and the other four suspects should be detained.
Prosecutors will continue examining the banquet, its financing, the identities of attendees and whether the event was connected to efforts to influence an election.
For now, the central question is not whether anyone has been convicted — no conviction has been reported — but whether prosecutors can establish sufficient evidence to support the alleged election-law violations as the judicial process moves forward.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
Leave a Reply