Keelung: Taiwanese singer Kui has been sentenced to a consolidated 10 years in prison following a fatal drunk-driving hit-and-run incident in Keelung in 2024. The ruling was delivered by the Keelung District Court, with a citizen judge panel presiding over the case after three days of hearings.

According to Focus Taiwan, Kui, aged 27, received an eight-year sentence for causing death while driving under the influence (DUI) and an additional three years and six months for fleeing the scene of the accident that resulted in death or injury. The court issued a combined sentence of 10 years, factoring in Kui's status as a repeat offender. Previously, Kui had faced a deferred prosecution for a similar drunk-driving offense and reoffended within a decade, leading to a fatality this time.

Under Taiwan's Criminal Code, causing death due to a DUI offense within 10 years of a prior incident is liable to a punishment ranging from five years to life imprisonment. Prosecutors outlined that Kui had consumed substantial amounts of draft beer and millet wine at a Keelung bar from midnight until about 4 a.m. on December 27, 2024, before driving to a friend's place.

At approximately 4:16 a.m., Kui's vehicle struck a taxi driver, identified as Lee, and another individual, Chen, who were both standing on Xinyi Road. Kui failed to stop and offer assistance, opting instead to drive away. Despite pulling over briefly, he continued on, running a red light and evading the scene, ignoring a bystander's alert that he had hit someone.

Tragically, Lee succumbed to his injuries in the hospital on January 3 of the previous year, while Chen survived with contusions. During the trial, prosecutors presented surveillance footage showing Kui drinking and appearing fatigued prior to leaving the bar. They also referenced a message Kui sent to his manager via LINE, dismissing concerns by stating: "Look for yourself where those people were standing."

Following the verdict, Kui expressed remorse by bowing to the victim's family and apologizing. He conveyed to reporters that he did not find the sentence excessively harsh and would seek to reach a settlement. Taiwan's citizen judge system, which was introduced in 2023, mandates that serious criminal cases involving fatalities be adjudicated by a panel comprising six citizen judges alongside three professional judges.