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President calls executed serviceman 'innocent'; apologizes to family

ROC Central News Agency

2011/02/01 18:29:21

By Lin Chung-sen, Huang Jui-hung, Wang Hung-kuo, Sabine Cheng, and Hermia Lin

Taipei, Feb. 1 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou on Tuesday apologized personally to the family of Air Force private Chiang Kuo-ching for Chiang's possible wrongful execution for a rape-murder case 15 years ago, and he vowed to pursue justice for the family.

"I am here to tell the whole world that Chiang Kuo-ching is innocent, " Ma said during a visit to Chiang's family in Taipei, and he assured Chiang's mother that "the government will clear Chiang's name."

Chiang, an air force serviceman, was indicted by a military prosecutors in October 1996 on charges of raping and murdering a young girl at an air base in Taipei a month earlier, largely based on his "confession" to committing the crime.

But during his trial in late 1996 and 1997, Chiang recanted his confession, saying he admitted to the crime only because he was tortured while being interrogated by military investigators.

After a military court found Chiang guilty, an appeals court voided the verdict and ordered the case retried.

The Air Force Combat Command then intervened by putting the case in the hands of the panel of judges who originally convicted Chiang, and they found him guilty again in the new trial.

Chiang was executed in August 1997, less than a year after the murder occurred.

Ma issued an apology over Chiang's possible wrongful execution to the public and to Chiang's family through spokesman Lo Chih-chiang on Monday and also apologized for the social disturbance caused by the case.

In Tuesday's meeting with Chiang's family, Ma said his apology was a symbol of administrative justice for Chiang, but he cautioned that it would still take time to see Chiang's name cleared through the judicial system.

Ma said he has ordered the Ministry of National Defense to act as soon as possible to find out who should be held responsible for the mishandling of the case, and he promised not to take sides in the new investigation.

About 30 military officials involved in Chiang's arrest, trial and execution are facing criminal and administrative investigations, including former Defense Minister Chen Chao-min, who served as the chief of the Air Force Combat Command at that time.

Meanwhile, executive director Lin Feng-cheng of the Judicial Reform Foundation, said on Tuesday that Chiang's lawyer and the foundation will appeal the case to the Military High Court, given that prosecutors have now revealed new evidence in the case.

Last Friday, Taipei prosecutors arrested Hsu Jung-chou, who has a record of sexual offenses, as a suspect in the case. The Taipei District Court approved a request for his detention.