Shrunk! Cross-border crackdown severely beats Akio Yaita, Liao Gangfa pleads guilty in court and asks for light sentence

Akio Yabata, CEO of the Indo-Pacific Strategic Think Tank, was attacked at close range after giving a speech in Taichung in July this year. The perpetrator, Liao Gangfa (33 years old), the leader of the operation team of the Chinese Hong Kong gang "He Shenghe", immediately disguised himself after committing the crime and tried to escape on a plane. Fortunately, he was seized by the police at the airport and sent to custody. After investigation by the Taichung District Prosecutor's Office , he was prosecuted on charges of injury, public insult, and participation in a criminal organization. Four other accomplices, including Wu, who had left the country, were wanted. The Taichung District Court held a hearing today. Liao Nan pleaded guilty to the prosecution and hoped for a lighter sentence. Because he hoped to serve his sentence as soon as possible and return to Hong Kong, he requested a simplified trial procedure.

The Central Prosecutor's Office alleged that a man who is also a member of the "Washenghe" gang and the leader of the "Action Group", whose real name and age are unknown, and who calls himself "Chen Weihao", was dissatisfied with Akio Yaita's frequent public comments on cross-strait current affairs and political speeches. After learning that he would serve as a lecturer for events organized by the Spring Rain Cultural and Educational Foundation at the Wing Fung Inn Hotel, he funded and hired a cross-border violence group in an attempt to publicly beat Akio Yaita to intimidate freedom of speech and achieve the goal of cross-border suppression.

"Chen Weihao" contacted a man surnamed Wu on July 1 this year to form a cross-border violence group, and invited four people, including Liao Gangfa, Feng, Kwong and Wang, to join. Originally, the man surnamed Kwong was responsible for actually carrying out the beatings. However, later Kwong and Feng Nan felt that the risk was too high and withdrew from the country. The instigator increased the reward to HK$100,000, and Liao Nan took over.

After Liao Gangfa and others surveyed the terrain, on July 6 this year, they beat Akio Yaita on the face in the lobby of Yongfengzhan Hotel, causing blunt contusions on his jaw and bruises and bleeding on his upper lip. After committing the crime, Liao Nan immediately bought clothes to disguise himself, and went to Taichung International Airport in an attempt to take a flight to Busan, South Korea to leave the country. Fortunately, the police arrested him early and brought him a arrest warrant.

Prosecutors believe that Liao Nan and others used cross-border violence and media dissemination to create a "killing one to scare others" effect, suppressing speech and creating a chilling effect, infringing on my country's democratic system and social order. Their criminal methods were highly planned, organized and anti-investigation.

The Taichung District Court held a preparatory court today. Liao Gangfa pleaded guilty to all the charges charged by the prosecutor and admitted that he received a "prepayment" of HK$15,000. The defender said that because Liao Nan hoped to serve his sentence quickly and return to Hong Kong, he hoped to change to a simplified trial procedure. After deliberation by the collegial panel, it was agreed to change to a simplified trial procedure, and the trial was concluded today.

Liao Nan's defender emphasized that after Liao Nan was arrested, he admitted all objective facts and the criminal facts contained in the indictment. He also cooperated with the prosecutor and the police in the investigation, expressed his willingness to reconcile with the victim, and promised to never re-enter Taiwan after serving his sentence. He was thankful that the injuries caused did not lead to a catastrophic disaster, and strived for a reduced sentence and a lighter sentence in accordance with Articles 57 and 59 of the Criminal Law.