Taiwan high court upholds death sentence for murderer of Malaysian student

台灣高等法院維持對殺害馬來西亞學生的兇手的死刑判決

Court said Liang Yu-chih did not show remorse or empathy for victim, 'high risk' of recidivism


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A high court in Kaohsiung upheld a death sentence for a man who confessed to murdering a Malaysian student by strangulation and disposing of her body in 2020.

In March 2022, Taiwan Ciaotou District Court sentenced the man, Liang Yu-chih (梁育誌), to death for having been convicted of attempted sexual assault, sexual murder, robbery-homicide, and abandonment of a corpse. At 9:10 a.m. on Tuesday (March 23), Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court upheld the sentence, but the ruling can still be appealed.

The court said Liang denied he intentionally murdered the victim and did not show any signs of remorse. After conducting two appraisals, it was determined the defendant was at "high risk" of recidivism, presented a defensive attitude, did not acknowledge his mistakes, and showed no empathy for the victim.

The court added it is "difficult to have a reasonable expectation of rectification and education, reducing the likelihood of social reintegration."

The court deemed Liang's actions to be the "most serious crime." After considering the circumstances of Article 57 of the Criminal Law and the sentencing appraisal reports, the defendant was sentenced to death in accordance with the law to match the crime and level of responsibility and the deprivation of civic rights.

At 8 p.m. on Oct. 28, 2019, a 24-year-old Malaysian surnamed Chung (鍾) was walking to her dormitory from Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU) campus near Changda Road close to the viaduct of the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) Shalun Line. She disappeared after walking north along the underpass beneath the viaduct.

Liang later confessed to using a rope to strangle Chung and drag her to his car. After murdering the student, Liang abandoned her body in a mountainous area of Kaohsiung City's Alian District.

Chung's parents enlisted Taiwan Bar Association President Lin Jui-cheng (林瑞成) to take legal action against CJCU, the Taiwanese government, and the Tainan City Council for failing to take action that could have prevented the death of their daughter. On Dec. 25, 2020, the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office in Kaohsiung announced that Liang had been indicted for murder.