TAIPEI, Taiwan — December 2, 2025 — A sanitation worker in Taipei City has been given a suspended prison sentence after taking a low-value rice cooker from a recycling facility and giving it to an elderly woman. Despite his benevolent intentions, the court ruled that the act constituted embezzlement under Taiwan’s Anti-Corruption Act.
The Shilin District Court sentenced the worker, identified as Mr. Huang, to three months in prison, suspended for two years, and imposed one year of civil rights deprivation. The court said the sentence—although significantly reduced—was necessary to maintain the integrity expected of public officials. The ruling may still be appealed.
Details of the Case
According to the judgment, Huang has served as a sanitation worker for the Taipei City Environmental Protection Bureau since 1990, handling garbage and recycling collection.
On the evening of July 26, 2024, he removed a Tatung electric rice cooker from a recycling truck at the Beitou Recycling Transfer Station. He brought the appliance home to confirm it was functioning before giving it to an elderly woman who collected recyclables in the neighborhood.
While Huang stated that he acted out of kindness, the court found that removing the item without authorization constituted intent to unlawfully possess property acquired in his official capacity.
Legal Basis and Mitigation Factors
The court determined that Huang’s actions violated Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which covers embezzlement of non-public property held by a public employee through their duties.
However, several mitigating factors significantly reduced his penalty:
-
He voluntarily surrendered before investigators learned of the incident.
-
He returned all proceeds associated with the act.
-
The rice cooker was valued at only NT$32.56.
-
The offense was minor and caused no substantial damage.
These circumstances allowed sentence mitigation under Article 8, Paragraph 1 of the Anti-Corruption Act, though the court ruled that an exemption was inappropriate due to Huang’s status as a public servant.
The court applied a cumulative reduction, noting that multiple mitigating conditions allowed the sentence to be reduced by as much as two-thirds.
No Additional Leniency Under Criminal Code Article 59
The defense sought further leniency under Article 59 of the Criminal Code, which permits reduced sentences when “pardonable circumstances” exist.
The court, however, held that despite Huang’s benevolent motive, he had abused his public position by taking recyclable property, thereby undermining public trust. For that reason, the court concluded that criminal sanctions remained necessary and declined additional reductions.