Yilan County Chief Zhang Yihua Indicted for Allegedly Embezzling Village Chief Expense Allowances

(CNA, Shen Ru-feng, Yilan County, July 9) Yilan County's Yuanshan Township Chief Zhang Yihua is suspected of abusing his authority to embezzle expense allowances for acting village chiefs. Prosecutors concluded their investigation today and indicted him for violating the Anti-Corruption Act.

According to the "Regulations on the Payment of Expenses for Local Representatives and Subsidies for Village and Neighborhood Chiefs," village chiefs are entitled to a monthly expense allowance of NT$50,000. After Xu Zhengdong, the chief of Zhonghua Village in Yuanshan Township, was recalled in 2020, Zhang Yihua appointed a male specialist surnamed Huang from the township office to act as village chief. He later also authorized Huang to act as the chief of Hubei Village in Yuanshan Township.

Prosecutors suspect that during the period when Huang was acting as village chief, Zhang Yihua allegedly demanded that Huang hand over the monthly village chief expense allowances.

Prosecutors launched searches in May of this year and summoned Zhang Yihua, Huang, and former Hubei Village Chief Li Yonghe for questioning. They also applied to the Yilan District Court for the detention of Zhang Yihua, which was approved.

Prosecutors stated today that Zhang Yihua, Huang, and Li Yonghe were aware that village chiefs serve without pay and that the "village and neighborhood chief expense allowance" is intended for village chiefs to perform their duties and is public funds that cannot be used for private purposes. These three individuals, in collusion, with the intent to embezzle public property, misappropriated the "village and neighborhood chief expense allowances" for Zhonghua Village and Hubei Village for private use from July 2020 to December 2022. They have been indicted on charges of embezzlement of public property under the Anti-Corruption Act. (Editor: Zhang Yajing) 1150709

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