CHINA> Taiwan, HK, Macao
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Decision to release Chen withdrawn again
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-28 10:45 TAIPEI -- Taiwan's High Court withdrew a lower court's decision for the second time early on Sunday to release the island's former leader Chen Shui-bian after indictment against him on corruption charges.
"The High Court is asking the Taipei District Court to review its previous ruling to release Chen," High Court spokesman Wen Yao-yuan said. The prosecutors made the second appeal on Thursday and stated that they hoped this time the High Court could make a decision by itself, instead of sending the case back to the district court.
He had been in custody for investigation since November 12. Chen and his wife were alleged to have embezzled 104 million New Taiwan dollars (US$3.15 million) in public funds and accepted bribes of about US$9 million in a land purchase deal. His wife was also alleged to have taken a kickback of US$2.7 million from a construction project, according to prosecutors. Their son, daughter-in-law and 10 others were also said to have assisted in concealing the crime and remitting the money to overseas bank accounts. Taiwan prosecutors have said earlier that they were seeking "the severest punishment" for Chen. They also recommended a heavy sentence for his wife for "using her status to interfere in politics and rake in money and undermining the system." |