Sung Nai-wu served as secretary to Minister Lin Ling-san in 2001 when he worked to have a government tender for the electronic toll collection system known as ETC altered to suit a specific bidder.

The court sentenced the bidding businessman, Tsai Ching-hung, to one year in prison. Appeals are still possible with the Supreme Court, reports said.

Tsai's company and an Austrian company cooperating with him were specialized in infrared systems, so Sung ordered researchers to alter the specifics of a report to benefit the use of infrared, the court said. He also leaked the name list of the people on the committee evaluating the bids to Tsai.

In return, the businessman invited Sung to expensive meals, paid his girlfriend's rent and bought paintings from her company, the court said.

The Taipei District Court originally sentenced him to 12 years for accepting bribes and for leaking non-military secrets, while noting he showed no remorse. The court sentenced Tsai to two years and six months.

The Far Eastern Group later won the bid to establish an ETC system, allowing motorists to drive through toll stations without stopping to pay.