Legal Victory from Behind Bars: Ko Wen-je Secures Conviction Against Wu Tzu-chia

Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, while in custody, wins a defamation case, highlighting the complexities of Taiwan's political landscape.

In a notable legal development, former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je has secured a conviction against Wu Tzu-chia, the Chairman of the Formosa e-Newspaper, for public insult. The ruling stems from comments made by Wu Tzu-chia, who was charged with using derogatory language to criticize Ko Wen-je and political commentator Huang Kuang-chin.

The Taipei District Court found Wu Tzu-chia guilty of public insult, imposing a 30-day detention sentence, which can be commuted to a fine of 30,000 New Taiwan dollars. The ruling is subject to appeal.

The court's decision considered that Wu Tzu-chia's repeated insults against Huang Kuang-chin and Ko Wen-je, occurring at the same location and close in time, constituted a single act and thus the sentencing was determined accordingly. The court considered that because Wu's words simultaneously insulted two individuals, he should be sentenced according to the more severe penalty.