JUDGES SUSPENDED

Three judges suspended in Taiwan corruption probe

• Published: 14/08/2010 at 11:55 AM
• Online news: Asia

Three senior Taiwanese judges have been suspended in the island's latest corruption scandal implicating top judiciary, the authorities said Saturday.

Three senior judges and a prosecutor were taken into custody last month in Taiwan, setting off a high-profile corruption case and costing judicial chief Lai In-jaw (pictured) his job.

A High Court judge was suspected of "ethical misconduct" while a Supreme Court judge was accused of pressuring a lower court colleague, who was also suspended, into clearing his son on hit-and-run charges, judicial authorities said.

Taiwanese prosecutors this week raided the homes of several serving and retired judges suspected of taking bribes from defendants in exchange for lighter sentences.

It came after three senior judges and a prosecutor were taken into custody last month, setting off yet another high-profile corruption case and costing judicial chief Lai In-jaw his job.

The scandal prompted President Ma Ying-jeou to renew a pledge to build a clean government and set up a new watchdog tasked with fighting corruption.

Taiwan has been hit by a string of corruption scandals in recent years, with the most controversial case implicating former president Chen Shui-bian and his family.

Bangkok Post