TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Pingtung County Council Speaker Chou Tien-lun (周典論) was sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday (Aug. 27) for paying money in return for signatures supporting Foxconn Technology founder Terry Gou’s (郭台銘) presidential bid.

In addition to the prison sentence, Chou had to pay a fine of NT$5 million (US$156,000). The politician said he would file an appeal, per the Liberty Times.

Prosecutors had requested five years in prison and a fine of NT$10 million for breaking the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. As an independent candidate in the January presidential election, Gou needed endorsements from the public to appear on the ballot.

Chou argued the money was for the efforts of local agents to collect signatures and not meant to reach voters. Campaign workers reportedly paid NT$200 per endorsement. 

During the investigation, Chou spent seven months in detention before being freed in July on bail of NT$1.5 million.