Prosecutors ask to detain former Taitung magistrate amid election-time corruption probe

Prosecutors in Taitung have asked a court to order the detention of former county magistrate Wu Chun-li, accusing him of seeking illicit gains through an agricultural road-widening scheme that allegedly favored his family's interests. The request, filed in the early hours, cites flight risk and possible collusion, noting that co-accused individuals remain at large. Wu’s younger sister, Wu Hsiu-hua, a Kuomintang council speaker, is a candidate in the imminent county-magistrate election, prompting Wu to claim the investigation is politically motivated.

The probe, launched after councilor Lin Tsan-tien reported misuse of public funds for a resort-serving road, has already led to the detention of the county agriculture department head, a former section chief, and Wu’s secretary who also worked at the resort. Searches have been conducted at eleven sites, including Wu Hsiu-hua’s office, and Wu was prevented from boarding a domestic flight from Taitung Airport.