Taiwan's Chen pleads not guilty in corruption case
Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Monday during a pre-trial hearing in Taipei.
Chen is accused of embezzlement and accepting bribes during his presidency, which ended in May. He was returned to jail after Monday's hearing until his next court date, now February 24.
He has been jailed since late December, when Taiwan's high court revoked an earlier decision to grant him bail.
Chen is accused of embezzling 600 million new Taiwan dollars ($18 million U.S.), taking bribes, laundering money and illegally removing classified documents from the president's office.
The 58-year-old former leader has denied any wrongdoing and insists the charges are politically motivated.
Thirteen others, including Chen's wife, son, daughter-in-law and brother-in-law have been indicted in the case. Prosecutors said Chen's son has a Swiss bank account with $22 million they believe to be illegal proceeds.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/19/taiwan.china/index.html
Taiwan ex-leader urged to face justice after relatives plead guilty
TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian and his wife were urged Thursday to "stop lying" about the corruption charges they face after three of their relatives pleaded guilty to money laundering. Chen's son Chen Chih-chung, his daughter-in-law Huang Jui-chin and his brother-in-law Wu Chin-mao all entered guilty pleas Wednesday, in the latest development in a case that has gripped the island since Chen himself was arrested in November. The younger Chen and his wife also apologised to fellow Taiwanese for the disturbance the case has caused, and vowed to further cooperate with prosecutors. Legislator Chiu Yi-ying of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) urged the former leader and his wife to "learn something" from their son and daughter-in-law. "Stop lying. It's time to honestly face justice," she said. The younger couple, who had previously promised prosecutors they would send 21 million US dollars back to Taiwan from their Swiss bank accounts, said they would repatriate another 17 million US dollars from abroad. They also agreed to tell prosecutors the whereabouts of cash and jewellry worth around 600 million Taiwan dollars (17.88 million US) that was being kept by the former first lady. Wednesday's twist was a blow to members of the party the former president once led. "It is especially embarrassing to the supporters," former DPP legislator Lin Cho-shui said, referring to those who believe their former leader is the subject of a witch hunt by his successor, Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang. On Monday, former president Chen insisted that he was innocent of taking bribes, as he appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing on charges he says are politically motivated. Chen, who left office in May after eight years, has been charged with embezzlement, taking bribes and money laundering, influence peddling and blackmail and faces life in prison if convicted on all counts. While some Taiwanese saw the move by the young Chen as an attempt to break ranks with his father, others interpreted it as just part of the family's legal defence strategy aimed at reducing any eventual punishment. The former leader has previously admitted that his wife Wu Shu-chen transferred 20 million US dollars abroad, but said the money was from past campaign funds and she had done so without his knowledge. Chen is already under investigation for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (480,500 US) in special expenses from the government while he was president, and his wife is on trial for corruption and document forgery in the same case.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/090122/afp/090122073726asiapacificnews.html
http://www.worldjournal.com/wj-tw-news.php?nt_seq_id=1837597
Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian pleaded not guilty to corruption charges Monday during a pre-trial hearing in Taipei.
Chen is accused of embezzlement and accepting bribes during his presidency, which ended in May. He was returned to jail after Monday's hearing until his next court date, now February 24.
He has been jailed since late December, when Taiwan's high court revoked an earlier decision to grant him bail.
Chen is accused of embezzling 600 million new Taiwan dollars ($18 million U.S.), taking bribes, laundering money and illegally removing classified documents from the president's office.
The 58-year-old former leader has denied any wrongdoing and insists the charges are politically motivated.
Thirteen others, including Chen's wife, son, daughter-in-law and brother-in-law have been indicted in the case. Prosecutors said Chen's son has a Swiss bank account with $22 million they believe to be illegal proceeds.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/19/taiwan.china/index.html
Taiwan ex-leader urged to face justice after relatives plead guilty
TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian and his wife were urged Thursday to "stop lying" about the corruption charges they face after three of their relatives pleaded guilty to money laundering. Chen's son Chen Chih-chung, his daughter-in-law Huang Jui-chin and his brother-in-law Wu Chin-mao all entered guilty pleas Wednesday, in the latest development in a case that has gripped the island since Chen himself was arrested in November. The younger Chen and his wife also apologised to fellow Taiwanese for the disturbance the case has caused, and vowed to further cooperate with prosecutors. Legislator Chiu Yi-ying of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) urged the former leader and his wife to "learn something" from their son and daughter-in-law. "Stop lying. It's time to honestly face justice," she said. The younger couple, who had previously promised prosecutors they would send 21 million US dollars back to Taiwan from their Swiss bank accounts, said they would repatriate another 17 million US dollars from abroad. They also agreed to tell prosecutors the whereabouts of cash and jewellry worth around 600 million Taiwan dollars (17.88 million US) that was being kept by the former first lady. Wednesday's twist was a blow to members of the party the former president once led. "It is especially embarrassing to the supporters," former DPP legislator Lin Cho-shui said, referring to those who believe their former leader is the subject of a witch hunt by his successor, Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang. On Monday, former president Chen insisted that he was innocent of taking bribes, as he appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing on charges he says are politically motivated. Chen, who left office in May after eight years, has been charged with embezzlement, taking bribes and money laundering, influence peddling and blackmail and faces life in prison if convicted on all counts. While some Taiwanese saw the move by the young Chen as an attempt to break ranks with his father, others interpreted it as just part of the family's legal defence strategy aimed at reducing any eventual punishment. The former leader has previously admitted that his wife Wu Shu-chen transferred 20 million US dollars abroad, but said the money was from past campaign funds and she had done so without his knowledge. Chen is already under investigation for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (480,500 US) in special expenses from the government while he was president, and his wife is on trial for corruption and document forgery in the same case.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/090122/afp/090122073726asiapacificnews.html
http://www.worldjournal.com/wj-tw-news.php?nt_seq_id=1837597
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