Taipei - Two Taiwan twins collaborated to cheat the army when one posed as his brother to serve, a newspaper said Wednesday. 

Shen Ming-chin and Shen Huang-hsiang, 23, from Chiayi, central Taiwan, are twin brothers. They are described as highly identical, except for a small difference in their accents and Ming-chin's inability to fully raise his left arm due to a childhood injury, the United Daily News said. 

Ming-chin wanted to join the Army but failed the physical examination, while Huang-hsiang hated military service but was conscripted, as are all men in Taiwan unless rejected for medical reasons. 

In September 2007, Huang-hsiang joined the Army. In January, while on leave, Huang-hsiang remained at home, and the unemployed Ming-chin went to his brother's barracks posing as Huang-hsiang. 

The officers and soldiers sensed there was something wrong about "Huang-hsiang" but could not tell what it was. 

This went on for four months, but Ming-chin began to worry because "Huang-hsiang" had deserted the Army once, so army counselors talked with him regularly to make sure he did not flee again, and this made Ming-chin fear that the Army was suspicious of his ruse. 

In January, Huang-hsiang and Ming-chin traded places again. Due to his long absence, Huang-hsiang's behaviour aroused suspicion in an officer, who went to the Huang-hsiang's home to investigate and learned of the twin brother. 

On Tuesday, Shen Ming-chin was charged with document forgery and Shen Huang-hsiang with desertion, the United Daily News said. Shen Huang-hsiang faces a court martial, but military prosecutors suggested giving Shen Ming-chin a suspended sentence because he has no prior criminal record. (dpa)