Prosecutors have listed 15 people as defendants in a case involving an illegal visit to a military base.
The case in question involves an army officer who brought local celebrity Janet Lee and her family to an army helicopter base last Sunday. The unauthorized visit came to light after Lee posted photos on social media showing the cockpit of an Apache attack helicopter.
The army officer at the center of the case is Lieutenant Colonel Lao Nai-cheng, the deputy head of a helicopter squadron. Lao brought the group of 26 civilians inside a hangar housing the Apache AH-64E, without the approval of his superiors.
As of Monday afternoon, prosecutors have questioned 12 of the 15 defendants. Eleven of the defendants were released without bail. But Lt. Col. Lao, the Apache pilot who led the tour, was released on a NT$500,000 (US$16,170) bail. That’s because he is facing serious charges such as violating criminal laws, national security laws, and military laws.
Prosecutors say they are still waiting for the defense ministry to clarify the facts before bringing any charges against the defendants. The defense ministry has also formed an ad hoc working group to deal with the case.