Former New Taipei City deputy mayor Hsu Chih-chien has been detained for allegedly taking bribes from two real estate developers.
On Thursday the Taipei District Court granted prosecutors’ request for Hsu to be detained. A total of 13 people, including Hsu’s son and brother and executives of the companies involved, were questioned Wednesday. Prosecutors are investigating alleged corruption in two urban regeneration projects first proposed in 2010. The two proposals have yet to receive final approval.
Hsu stepped down as deputy mayor in June last year. While he was in office, he was also head of New Taipei City’s urban renewal project review committee. Hsu is accused of taking NT$4 million (US$127,000) in cash, gold bars, and Swiss-made watches from the developers. In return, he allegedly guided the review committee towards decisions favorable to the two companies in addition and speeding up the review process.
Reports also note that Hsu was a trusted aide of not only New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu, but also President Ma Ying-jeou at the time when he was mayor of Taipei.