Taiwan Supreme Court Upholds Sentences in Military Espionage Case

The Taiwan Supreme Court has affirmed prison sentences for two retired Taiwan Army members guilty of trying to collect military intelligence for China. This final ruling upholds previous sentences and dismisses all appeals, reinforcing their conviction for violating the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces.

The Taiwan Supreme Court has confirmed the prison sentences for two retired members of the Taiwan Army, who were convicted of attempting to gather military intelligence for China, as reported by Focus Taiwan. This ruling is final and aligns with the Taiwan High Court's sentencing of a former staff sergeant surnamed Wu and a former private named Tsou to 22 and 20 months in prison, respectively, for breaches of the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces.

The Supreme Court also dismissed appeals from both the defendants and the prosecutors, asserting that the previous ruling by the Taiwan High Court Tainan Branch Court was free of any errors. According to the final verdict, both Wu and Tsou, during their service at the Guandu Area Command, had contact with Liu, an individual believed to be linked to Chinese military intelligence, in 2003 and 2012, respectively.

Liu Sheng-shu, a former colonel, started his business in China after his Air Force retirement in 2013. He was recruited by Chinese agencies to act as a spy and used his military connections to enlist active officers in espionage activities, according to Taiwan News. Liu recruited at least six officers, rewarding them with amounts between NT USD 200,000 and NT USD 700,000 through a shell company for each recruit. Liu directed Wu and Tsou to collect Taiwan's military secrets, offering them substantial compensation, as stated by the Supreme Court.

In April 2013, Wu, with the aid of military computers, downloaded 135 classified files, including those concerning Han Kuang drills and anti-infiltration operations. He and Tsou then handed the information to Liu, the Court noted. However, no direct evidence was found indicating that this information was forwarded to Chinese agents, leading the court to deem their actions as attempted offences, per the ruling. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)