Taichung: A Central Union Oil Corp. factory manager surnamed Chen was ordered to post an additional NT$1 million (US$30,979) bail on Thursday after prosecutors sought his detention over a cooking oil contamination case, a decision they have appealed.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taichung District Court held a detention hearing Thursday morning and ruled that Chen did not need to be detained, instead ordering him to post the additional bail, placing him under residential restrictions, and barring him from leaving Taiwan. The court noted Chen's cooperation with investigators after his initial release on bail of NT$1 million and confirmed that relevant witnesses had already been questioned and key evidence secured.
However, despite the court's assurances, prosecutors have expressed their disagreement with the ruling and have filed an appeal. This case is part of a broader investigation involving 11 suspects questioned by Taichung prosecutors during initial searches of Central Union and three other companies on July 9.
After these initial inquiries, the Taichung District Prosecutors Office sought the detention of Central Union General Manager Yu Ling-chung, while the other 10 suspects, including Chen, were released on bail ranging from NT$500,000 to NT$20 million. On Wednesday, authorities conducted a second round of searches at locations linked to Chen and two other Central Union suspects.
Prosecutors later requested Chen's detention, citing concerns about potential evidence destruction or collusion with other witnesses or suspects. Meanwhile, the other two suspects were released on NT$1 million bail each.
On a related note, Justice Minister Cheng Ming-chien stated that Taichung prosecutors have secured a court order to seize the suspected criminal proceeds of Central Union and three other companies under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Estimated at more than NT$126 million, these proceeds are based on the companies' sales revenue.
The minister's remarks came in response to lawmakers' inquiries regarding the investigation, the seizure of suspected criminal proceeds, and the progress of consumer compensation claims. Lawmakers urged authorities to prevent the companies from disposing of assets that could leave affected consumers without recourse.