PUBLISHED ONOctober 15, 2025 10:30 AMBYKristy ChuaTaiwanese former actor-singer Lee Wei appeared in court yesterday (Oct 14) in the trial of the murder of a 52-year-old woman surnamed Tsai who was linked to a Buddhist group he was a part of.
The 44-year-old, known for idol dramas like Kiss Of The Toast (2001) and My Lucky Star (2007), was named as a suspect in February but appeared as a witness in court where he recounted the abuse Tsai endured before her death in July last year.
In court, Lee Wei claimed that though he was present during the abuse, he did not harm Tsai.
The victim was found dead with her body covered in bruises in a first-floor property in Taipei, which was a meeting place for the religious group.
Her cause of death was ruled as rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscle breaks down and releases toxic compounds into the bloodstream, potentially causing kidney damage.
In surveillance footage, Lee Wei and other members of the group were allegedly seen pushing her body in a trolley, dumping it without calling authorities.
Prosecutors discovered the abuse began when group's spiritual leader Wang Yun — currently in custody — was dissatisfied with Tsai because she allegedly mishandled his finances as their accountant.
He punished her by ordering her to prostrate herself around the clock.
The day before her death, he held a meeting where she was publicly humiliated before other group members. Tsai was berated, forced to do half-prostrations and kneel, beaten and dragged on the floor, which left Tsai hitting her head on the ground.
During the meeting, Lee Wei had also told Tsai: "Just apologise and everything will be fine."
He explained in court he had said those words hoping Tsai would be able to leave the meeting and go home.
The lawyer representing Tsai's family remarked that no ordinary person would be able to tolerate witnessing such abuse, criticising Lee Wei for his failure to alert authorities and persuade other members to stop the abuse.
The lawyer added they have yet to receive an apology from any of the 13 defendants including Lee Wei.
The trial is ongoing.
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