Former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian waves as he arrives at the high court in Taipei June 11, 2010.Taiwan's high court on Friday reduced the life sentence of former leader Chen to 20 years on graft and money-laundering charges, local TV reported.[Photo/Agencies]

TAIPEI - Taiwan's high court Friday sentenced the island's former leader Chen Shui-bian to 20 years in jail for corruption, changing the previous sentence of life imprisonment, according to local TV stations.

His wife Wu Shu-chen's life conviction for graft was also reduced to 20 years by the high court.

The court is also considering whether to uphold the decision of continuing to detain Chen, who has been in custody for more than 500 days.

Chen and his wife were both sentenced to life imprisonment by the Taipei District Court in September last year for corruption, embezzlement, money laundering and other abuses when he was in power from 2000 to 2008.

They were found to have embezzled 104 million New Taiwan dollars ($3.15 million) in public funds.