TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei City Councilor Chen Chung-wen (陳重文) was granted bail set at NT$8 million on charges related to the Taiwan Intelligent Fiber Optic Network Consortium (Taifo, 台智光) scandal on Tuesday (Oct. 1).
The court also imposed travel and residence restrictions and required Chen to wear an electronic monitoring device.
Chen's release comes just as the Taipei City Council prepares to convene on Wednesday. The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) caucus of the council stated that Chen has not been suspended and remains eligible to participate in caucus activities.
Chen, who turned 47 while in detention, had been held without visitation rights since March 21, 2024. The court summoned the final four witnesses, including Chen's wife, Bai Hui-ping (白惠萍), concluding the session at noon.
The court confirmed that neither the prosecution nor the defense would call additional witnesses or investigate further evidence, scheduling the next hearing for next Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.
From April to June 2023, Chen allegedly used his position to coerce the Taipei Department of Social Welfare (台北市社會局) and Taifo into procuring equipment from a company, co-founded by Chen and his friend, for a cloud-based surveillance system in public daycare centers.