Former Taitung County head Wu Chun-li released on bail — Taipei Times

The Taitung District Court in Taiwan released former county head Wu Chun-li on bail of NT$5 million, or about US$153,903. He was also barred from travel and placed under electronic monitoring. Prosecutors had requested Wu Chun-li’s detention as part of an investigation into suspected corruption, the Taipei Times reports.

Prosecutors to appeal the ruling

The Taitung District Prosecutors Office said it would immediately appeal the court’s decision. It cited the risk that Wu Chun-li could flee or possibly collude with witnesses, as not all alleged accomplices have yet been brought before the authorities.

After questioning, prosecutors said the former official may have sought improper benefits in matters falling within his authority or supervision. Wu Chun-li himself told reporters that the investigation ahead of the election could be a political game and called on authorities to clarify the circumstances of the case as soon as possible.

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Road project investigation

The case is linked to a project to widen an agricultural road which, investigators suspect, may have illegally benefited a project connected to the interests of the Wu family. The investigation began in May after independent county council member Lin Tsan-tien stated that the county administration had allegedly used budget funds to develop a road serving a resort.

According to the publication, the road, which was supposed to be 3 meters wide, was allegedly widened to more than 9 meters; state-owned land was also involved in the project. Prosecutors said that Taitung County Agriculture Department Director Hsu Chia-hao, then section chief Tsai Ming-han, and several other suspects were detained in connection with the case.

Wu Chun-li’s younger sister, Taitung County Council Speaker Wu Hsiu-hua of the Kuomintang party, is running for county head. The court’s decision was made less than six weeks before the elections for city mayors and county heads.