Shih Mu-chin (???), a former head of what is now Taiwan’s Disciplinary Court, will be relieved of his position as a judge because of his inappropriate interaction with a business acquaintance over a 20-year period, according to a court ruling issued Friday.

Shih, who headed the Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission from 2017 to 2019, “failed to uphold the dignity of a judge and betrayed the people’s trust, hurting the credibility and image of the judicial system,” the Disciplinary Court said in its ruling.

It was due to this misconduct during Shih’s time as a judge from 1997-2017 that the court decided to hand down the more severe punishment of dismissal and disbarment, instead of the NT$3.54 million (US$117,300) fine — the equivalent of one year’s salary — imposed last December in Shih’s first trial.

The court had argued during the first trial that part of Shih’s alleged misconduct had taken place before 2012, which meant that the statute of limitations had expired.

On Friday, however, the court said there is no statute of limitations on a judge’s character, and Shih’s actions should be viewed in that light.

In addition to relieving Shih of his position as a judge, the disciplinary court in its latest and final ruling also barred him from employment in any other public sector job for a year.

In September 2019, Shih resigned as head of the Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission, amid allegations that he had been engaged in inappropriate interaction with Wong Maw-jang (???), then chairman of the textile company Chia Her Group, during a series of civil and criminal lawsuits between 1997 and 2017.

One year later, the Control Yuan impeached Shih on grounds that he had given Wong legal advice during the lawsuits and had bought shares, via his relatives, in Wong’s companies, in violation of the laws and ethical guidelines that apply to judges.

After the impeachment, the Control Yuan referred the case to the Judicial Yuan’s Disciplinary Court, which Shih had headed when it was called the Public Functionary Disciplinary Sanction Commission.

Prior to his service in that post, Shih had been a division chief judge at the Supreme Court and head of the Taiwan High Court.

Commenting on the court ruling Friday, he said it was regrettable, because “it had unfairly taken into account biased accusations made more than 10 years ago.”

Meanwhile, the Judicial Reform Foundation said it respected the court’s ruling, although it thought the punishment was too light.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel