Friday 14 November 2008

Former Taiwan leader's son questioned

Prosecutors questioned the son and daughter-in-law of jailed former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian in connection with his graft case Friday as his lawyer confirmed he was continuing his hunger strike into a third day.

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Guanyu said...

Former Taiwan leader's son questioned

AP
14 November 2008

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Prosecutors questioned the son and daughter-in-law of jailed former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian in connection with his graft case Friday as his lawyer confirmed he was continuing his hunger strike into a third day.

Chen, the subject of a complex graft investigation, was arrested Wednesday after a marathon court hearing concluded there was enough evidence to hold him for an unspecified period of time to prevent him from colluding with alleged coconspirators.

Taiwanese law permits suspects be jailed for up to four months without formal indictments being brought against them.

On Friday, prosecutors questioned Chen Chih-chung, the former leader's son, and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching about their possible roles in the case. After four hours the couple was released.

In August, Chen admitted he broke the law by not fully disclosing campaign donations he had received, after a lawmaker from the rival Nationalist Party alleged that Chen's son and daughter-in-law moved US$21 million to Switzerland in 2007 and then forwarded the funds to the Cayman Islands.

At the time prosecutors said they wanted to determine whether the funds were indeed donations left over from political campaigns _ as Chen insisted _ or whether bribery may have been involved.

Taiwanese law permits candidates to retain unused portions of political donations.

His son and daughter-in-law later told reporters they were aware that former first lady Wu Shu-chen had wired unused donations into their accounts but denied any wrongdoing.

The frail, wheelchair-bound Wu has already been questioned by prosecutors at her home. Taiwan media reported Friday she may be questioned again, possibly later in the day.

Cheng Wen-lung, Chen's lawyer, said Thursday his client began a hunger strike to protest what he claimed was political persecution against him. He said the hunger strike was continuing Friday.

Wu has asked her husband to end the strike to preserve his strength for what is expected to be a long legal battle.

Chen ended eight years in office in May. Since then, he has been unstinting in his criticism of the Nationalists' China policy and their alleged persecution of former officials connected to his administration.

Nine other people, including a former vice premier and a former intelligence chief, are being held in connection with the same graft allegations mounted against Chen.