A former Taiwanese lawmaker may spend four years in jail for the rape of a Filipina housekeeper in 2004, after Taiwan's High Court found him guilty of the charges Friday.
The Taiwan High
Court sentenced former New Party legislator Elmer Fung after finding
him guilty in the case’s seventh trial, Taiwan-based Taipei Times reported.
But Fung, who the Taipei District Court found guilty and who the High
Court convicted thrice, can still appeal the decision before the Supreme
Court, the CNA report said.
CNA quoted Fung as
saying the ruling was ridiculous and that “political motivations” might
be involved. He added he would appeal.
Earlier,
Fung had been found not guilty by the High Court in the fifth and sixth
trials after the Filipina appeared as a witness and withdrew her
accusation.
Court records showed Fung hired the
Filipina to take care of his mother-in-law, but the Filipina accused
Fung of raping her on the afternoon of Jan. 23, 2004.
Presented as evidence in the case was the underwear she wore after the
alleged rape, as well as a pair she said she wore after taking a shower
six hours after the incident.
Fung agreed to pay the maid NT$800,000 (P1.126 million) in compensation, which the maid's supporters claimed was hush money.
During the trial, prosecutors and forensic scientists said DNA on the
underwear matched Fung’s. Prosecutors added the victim’s injuries and
her statements corroborated the accusation that Fung sexually assaulted
her.
But Fung insisted the maid framed him by
taking semen from a condom he had used when having sex with his wife and
smearing it on her underwear.
In Friday's ruling, the High Court said that while the maid withdrew
her accusation after being compensated, her original statement and
statements from doctors at Mackay Memorial Hospital showed it was
unlikely that the accusation of rape was fabricated.
It added Fung’s wife had visited the maid and held her while she was crying.
The ruling questioned why Fung’s wife needed to console her if the maid falsely accused Fung. - VVP, GMA News
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