TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chen Po-yen (陳柏諺) was resentenced Thursday to 18 years in a retrial for the murder of a Malaysian student.
Chen, who was accused of murdering a Malaysian woman studying at Ming Chuan University surnamed Tsai (蔡), was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in both the first and second trials, per CNA. While both courts acknowledged that he had turned himself in after committing the crime, they did not grant a sentence reduction.
However, the Supreme Court overturned the rulings and sent the case back for retrial. On Thursday, in the retrial, the High Court recognized his voluntary surrender and granted a reduced sentence of 18 years and 10 months in prison, which can still be appealed.
The case dates back to April 2022, when Chen contacted Tsai through Instagram. They arranged to meet for a meal on Oct. 7, after which Chen frequently visited Tsai's apartment.
On Oct. 13, Chen asked Tsai for over NT$90,000 (US$2,800), but she refused. He then strangled her with his hands and covered her face with a pillow, leading to her death from suffocation.
After committing the crime, Chen attempted suicide. While receiving emergency medical attention, he inadvertently confessed to the crime.
Shilin District Court in the first trial and Taiwan High Court in the second trial both found Chen guilty of murder. They acknowledged his voluntary surrender but ruled that he lacked genuine remorse, denying any sentence reduction to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court, however, ruled that while the lower courts noted his voluntary surrender, their reasoning for denying a sentence reduction was incomplete. The retrial by the High Court concluded Thursday with the revised sentence.
