Taipei: A man found guilty of murdering a Malaysian college student in Taipei in 2022 was sentenced Thursday to a reduced term of 18 years and 10 months following a retrial at the Taiwan High Court. The court's decision came after the Supreme Court invalidated the original life sentence handed down to Chen Po-yen last November. The recent ruling remains open to appeal.
According to Focus Taiwan, the case originated in April 2022 when Chen reached out to the 24-year-old student, Chai, via Instagram. Although their interactions were infrequent, Chen contacted Chai again on October 3 of that year and visited her rental place multiple times. On October 13, Chen demanded the return of part of the NT$99,999 (US$3,030) he had previously transferred to her bank account. When Chai refused, Chen strangled her and smothered her face with a pillow, leading to her death by suffocation.
After the crime, Chen returned to his apartment in New Taipei's Yingge District and attempted suicide. During the rescue operation by police and firefighters, he confessed to the crime. Initially, the Shilin District Court sentenced Chen to life imprisonment for murder, a decision upheld by the Taiwan High Court in 2024. However, Chen's appeal led the Supreme Court to order a retrial.
In the retrial, the Taiwan High Court considered Chen's actions post-crime, including sending information about the victim to his father before attempting suicide and admitting guilt to authorities. The court also noted Chen's expression of regret and the potential for rehabilitation. These mitigating factors led the court to determine a maximum penalty of 20 years for Chen's crime but ultimately decided on an 18-year and 10-month sentence.
The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office announced it would review the verdict before deciding on a potential appeal.