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Former commander accused of wrongdoing over soldier's execution

ROC Central News Agency

2011/05/24 19:18:09

By Lai You-chia, Emmanuelle Tzeng, Justin Su and Deborah Kuo

Taipei, May 24 (CNA) The Taipei District Prosecutors Office accused former Air Force Commander Chen Chao-min Tuesday of mishandling a rape-murder case 15 years ago that resulted in the wrongful execution of a 20-year-old soldier.

Chen served as the chief commander of the Air Force Combat Command and the air force commander between 1994 and 1998. He was defense minister from 2002 to 2004. He later became the first defense minister in the Ma administration.

After completing a nearly year-long investigation, the prosecutors said Tuesday that Chen admitted in April to approving an air force anti-espionage unit, instead of military prosecutors, to handle the case that occurred in 1996 in which a five-year-old girl was raped and murdered at the Air Force Command in Taipei.

The unit prosecuted a 20-year-old private, Chiang Kuo-ching, who was convicted and executed for the crime in 1997. However, after a Control Yuan investigation last year, it was found that Chiang was forced to confess to the crime through torture.

The prosecutors said Chen admitted to approving the torture methods, which include forcing the private to watch videotapes of the girl's autopsy during his interrogation.

Fifteen people in the air force anti-espionage unit were reportedly involved in obtaining Chiang's confession. Four of them, including then Colonel Ko Chung-ching, had questioned Chiang for 37 straight hours.

The prosecutors said the air force unit made Chiang's interrogation room into a horror-filled funeral hall, where Chiang was forced to constantly watch videotapes of the girl's stabbed body.

"The private confessed under extreme horror and fatigue, " the prosecutors said.

The prosecutors did not indict Chen for his wrongdoings due to a lack of evidence, but accused him of "inappropriate conduct" as an air force chief.

At least six officers were found to have tortured and intimidated Chiang, and contributed to causing his wrongful execution, but they will all go free because the prosecutors said the effective period of indictment has passed.

Instead, the prosecutors now accused a former soldier, Hsu Jung-chou, for actually committing the crime.

The Defense Ministry said later in the day that it respects the decisions made by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on the case. The ministry said it will expedite efforts to help Chiang's family seek compensation.

You Poh-hsiang, the lawyer representing Chiang's mother, said it is unacceptable to him and his client that none of the military personnel involved in the case will face justice.

According to the lawyer, Chiang's mother is appealing to President Ma Ying-jeou for justice.