New Taipei City council candidate indicted — Taipei Times
The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office in Taiwan has indicted New Taipei City council candidate Zhang Zhao-lun on suspicion of violating election laws by allegedly distributing cash envelopes and radish cakes to voters. This was reported by the Taipei Times.
Meetings in the electoral district
Zhang Zhao-lun is a former deputy spokesperson for the New Taipei branch of the Taiwan People’s Party. He is running as an independent candidate for the New Taipei City Council in the November election.
According to prosecutors, from July 7 to August 5, he visited five community development associations in his electoral district during dinners for elderly residents. The events took place in the Linkou, Wugu and Taishan districts, as well as at two other locations.
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Searches and investigation
Investigators claim that during these meetings, Zhang allegedly distributed red envelopes containing US$1 and Hong Kong-style radish cakes worth NT$120 each.
On September 10, prosecutors, police and investigators conducted searches and summoned Zhang and 74 other people for questioning. The candidate was subsequently detained incommunicado. Prosecutors believe that the combined value of the money and food exceeded the limits of ordinary social gifts or campaign materials and could indicate an exchange of material benefits for voters’ votes.
