TAIPEI: Two more guilty pleas have been entered in a Taiwan court room in the massive money laundering and corruption case against friends and family members of former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian. The latest to plead guilty, Tsai Ming-che and Tsai Ming-chieh, are described as friends of Chen's wife, Wu Shu-jen. The pleas were entered yesterday in Taipei District Court.

The two men are among a long list of Chen associates, alleged to have acted as intermediaries for the former leader, to transfer huge sums of money into secret overseas accounts. The accused are brothers of Tsai Mei-li, a former classmate of Wu's, who is also charged in the case.

Prosecutors charged that Tsai Ming-che helped Chen's family solicit bribes. The charges against him cite a land deal between the government-run Hsinchu Science Park and Dayu Development Corp - a subsidiary under the Koo Group.

In that deal, Chen's family allegedly received NT$300 million ($8.96 million) in kickbacks from a payoff of NT$400 million from Taiwan Cement Group Chairman Leslie Koo. The charges say Tsai Ming-che kept NT$70 million for his part in the under-the-table transaction. Prosecutors say the remaining NT$30 million dollars went to James Lee, then chief of the Hsinchu Science Park Administration.

The prosecution calls for Tsai Ming-che to receive a light sentence. In a Dec 12 indictment, prosecutors noted that Tsai had confessed to his role in the case and offered to make restitution.

The prosecution also asked for leniency for Tsai Ming-chieh.

The two convictions come on the heels of guilty pleas in the case entered Jan 21, by Wu's son Chen Chih-chung, daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching and elder brother Wu Ching-mao.

Chen Shui-bian and his wife are facing charges of siphoning NT$104 million from a special "Presidential Office" discretionary fund between 2000 and May 2008.

The couple are also accused of accepting NT$300 million in bribes in the Dayu Development land procurement. There are additional charges accusing the couple of receiving NT$90.93 million in kickbacks for helping a contractor win the tender for a government construction project.

The investigation continues into allegations the couple helped several financial conglomerates to acquire financial holding companies in return for "political contributions".

In another development, the lawyer for Wu announced yesterday he has quit her defense team. The announcement comes just one week before Wu is to appear in court for the continuation of her trial.

Lawyer Lee Sheng-hsiung said his decision was prompted by the guilty pleas entered by Wu's son and daughter-in-law.

"I am no longer suitable to work (as her lawyer)," Lee said in a statement, citing conflict of interest. He added in his statement that he did not want to be involved in potential family disputes stemming from the high-profile case.

Lee was the third lawyer to quit Wu's legal team. She has already recruited two new lawyers ahead of her court appearance next Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Chen's office.

Agencies

(HK Edition 02/04/2009 page1)