Taiwan court to decide whether to detain Chen

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-29 16:48

TAIPEI -- The Taipei District Court was deliberating Monday if the island's former leader Chen Shui-bian should be returned to custody.

Taiwan's former leader Chen Shui-bian arrives at the Taipei District court for a hearing on his custody, in Taipei December 29, 2008. [Agencies]

Chen appeared in court at 2:00 pm. He could be detained, released on bail or released without bail after the hearing.

Taiwan's High Court on Sunday overruled for the second time the Taipei District Court ruling to release Chen. The district court decided to re-examine its decision Monday afternoon.

The high court feared Chen could run away, or tamper with witnesses and evidence if he was free.

The district court had released him without bail on Dec 13, but banned him from leaving the island. Prosecutors appealed his release on December 16, and the high court's first overruling followed on December 17.

The second appeal was made last Thursday after the district court again released Chen without bail on December 18.

The district court appointed Tsai Shou-hsum to the case. He is also the presiding judge of corruption case against Chen's wife.

Chen was first indicted by prosecutors on December 12 for money laundering and taking bribes during his eight years in office, which ended in May.

Chen had been in custody for investigation since November 12.

Chen and his wife were alleged to have embezzled 104 million New Taiwan dollars ($3.15 million ) in public funds and accepted bribes of about $9 million in a land purchase deal.

His wife was also alleged to have taken a kickback of $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 crimes and remitting the money to overseas bank accounts.

Taiwan prosecutors said earlier that they were seeking "the severest punishment" for Chen, and also recommended a heavy sentence for his wife for "using her status to interfere in politics and rake in money and undermining the system."