Hualien Xiulin Township Chief and his wife detained for election bribery

Wang Meigui, the mayor of Xiulin Township in Hualien County, a member of the Kuomintang, is about to step down and run for parliament. Her husband, Hu Zhimin, is running for township mayor. However, they were both detained by the Hualien District Prosecutor's Office yesterday for bribery. This is the first election bribery case this year. After the investigation by the Hualien District Prosecutor's Office, they believed that Wang Meigui, Hu Zhimin and the person in charge of the public welfare organization surnamed Xu were at risk of escaping, destroying evidence, and colluding with accomplices and witnesses. There were reasons and necessity for detention. They arrested them in court and applied for a detention ban in the Hualien District Court; the other defendants were asked to return.

Because Xiulin Township has mining areas, cement plants, power plants and other facilities that are considered NIMBYs, it collects hundreds of millions of yuan in corporate local feedback funds every year. Inspectors received a tip and suspected that Xiulin Township Office allocated part of the feedback funds to the charity Little Sun Foundation in the name of public welfare, and then the person in charge of the foundation, surnamed Xu, used the money to allow Hu Zhimin to organize meals. It is understood that in March and April this year, Wang Meigui and Hu Zhimin invited the public to attend banquets in the name of Hu Zhimin's 60th birthday. During the dinner, they designed words of support for the candidates to seek support from the people with the right to vote.

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In addition, Wang Meigui and Hu Zhimin also held a social gathering in Yilan, and gave birthday red envelopes to the birthday girl of the month during the event. Whether these expenses also involved the misappropriation of local feedback funds, investigators need to further clarify. Hu Zhimin, a member of the Kuomintang, is a retired policeman and has never participated in politics. He stepped in to take over because his wife was about to step down as the township head. At many events in the township, the couple can be seen side by side on the stage, boosting each other's momentum.

The Hualien District Prosecutor’s Office is investigating Hualien County Assembly candidate Wang Meigui and Hualien County Xiulin Township Mayor candidate Hu Zhimin for allegedly using cash, gifts, free meals, etc. to bribe the election. The prosecutor pointed out today that prosecutor Jiang Angxuan yesterday (8) directed the Hualien County Investigation Station of the Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, the Eastern Regional Mobile Work Station, and the Hualien County Police Department The Criminal Police Brigade, Xincheng Branch, Hualien Branch, Ji'an Branch, Fenglin Branch, Yuli Branch, the Hualien County Special Task Force of the Northern District Affairs Brigade of the Immigration Service of the Ministry of Interior and other units carried out search tickets at 8 locations including the Xiulin Township Office and the defendant's residence in Hualien County with search tickets issued by the Hualien District Court, and seized relevant evidence.

After interrogation by the prosecutor of the special case team, it was revealed that the defendants Wang Meigui, Hu Zhimin, and the person in charge of the public welfare association named Xu were all involved in serious crimes such as voting bribery under Article 99, Paragraph 1 of the Public Officials Election and Recall Law. They were at risk of fleeing, destroying evidence, and colluding with accomplices and witnesses. There was a reason and necessity for detention. Yuan was arrested in court and applied for a detention ban in the Hualien District Court; the other defendants were asked to be returned.

The Hualien District Prosecutor’s Office calls on elections as the cornerstone of democratic politics and crucial to the long-term development of the country and society. All people should jointly reject the bad habits of buying and selling votes, and have the courage to report bribery and other illegal behaviors that undermine the fairness of elections. We will uphold the determination of "investigate what we hear and act if there is evidence" and strictly investigate all crimes that interfere with elections to maintain clean electoral practices and democracy and the rule of law.