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Thursday 11 December 2008
Chen’s Latest Interrogation Tipped to be His Last Before Charges Laid
Taiwanese prosecutors have questioned former president Chen Shui-bian in his cell in Taipei, in what could be the last interrogation ahead of a graft indictment.
Chen’s Latest Interrogation Tipped to be His Last Before Charges Laid
Lawrence Chung in Taipei 11 December 2008
Taiwanese prosecutors have questioned former president Chen Shui-bian in his cell in Taipei, in what could be the last interrogation ahead of a graft indictment.
Prosecutor Chen Yun-nan, spokesman of the special investigation taskforce under the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, yesterday confirmed that the former leader, who has been held at the Taipei Detention Centre in Tucheng since November 12, was questioned for four hours.
Chen Shui-bian’s lawyer, Cheng Wen-lung, also said he would file another request for his release. He has yet to be formally charged since he was detained on suspicion of corruption. Mr. Cheng’s last request made shortly after Mr. Chen was held was turned down on the grounds that the ex-president had not signed a written request form.
Both the spokesman and Mr. Cheng declined to reveal details about the questioning, but Mr. Cheng said Chen Shui-bian firmly believed that the judicial process would prove he was innocent.
“Chen has felt that his case is similar to the Formosa Incident, in which those who had been wronged finally regained their fame and integrity,” said Mr. Cheng, referring to the arrest of a number of dissidents by the Kuomintang government in 1979.
Chen Shui-bian, a former lawyer, rose to fame for his defence of the key dissidents in that incident, including Annette Lu Hsiu-lien, who later became his deputy during his two terms as the island’s president.
Judicial sources said Mr. Chen was questioned for four hours over his alleged role in embezzling NT$14.8 million (HK$3.42 million) in secret state funds, laundering at least US$21 million and taking at least NT$600 million in bribes.
They said Mr. Chen said he knew nothing of a businesswoman who claimed she had helped his wife, Wu Shu-chen, move NT$740 million in cash to a local bank.
The sources said Mr. Chen denied any wrongdoing and insisted he was being persecuted by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who wanted to befriend Beijing and suppress his pro-independence campaign.
Taiwanese news media said yesterday’s questioning would likely be the last interrogation by prosecutors, who would soon formally indict Mr. Chen for corruption. Prosecutor Chen Yun-nan, however, declined to comment on whether the taskforce would bring charges in the next two weeks as the media had speculated. Chen Shui-ban has been questioned seven times since July 24.
If convicted, he could face 25 years in jail or more, a punishment a KMT legislator said the island’s prosecutor general, Chen Tsung-ming, believed was too heavy.
But Chen Yun-nan denied the prosecutor general had made such a comment.
“Although he has the power to command us and even handle the case himself, he has made no suggestions about the case,” he said.
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Chen’s Latest Interrogation Tipped to be His Last Before Charges Laid
Lawrence Chung in Taipei
11 December 2008
Taiwanese prosecutors have questioned former president Chen Shui-bian in his cell in Taipei, in what could be the last interrogation ahead of a graft indictment.
Prosecutor Chen Yun-nan, spokesman of the special investigation taskforce under the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, yesterday confirmed that the former leader, who has been held at the Taipei Detention Centre in Tucheng since November 12, was questioned for four hours.
Chen Shui-bian’s lawyer, Cheng Wen-lung, also said he would file another request for his release. He has yet to be formally charged since he was detained on suspicion of corruption. Mr. Cheng’s last request made shortly after Mr. Chen was held was turned down on the grounds that the ex-president had not signed a written request form.
Both the spokesman and Mr. Cheng declined to reveal details about the questioning, but Mr. Cheng said Chen Shui-bian firmly believed that the judicial process would prove he was innocent.
“Chen has felt that his case is similar to the Formosa Incident, in which those who had been wronged finally regained their fame and integrity,” said Mr. Cheng, referring to the arrest of a number of dissidents by the Kuomintang government in 1979.
Chen Shui-bian, a former lawyer, rose to fame for his defence of the key dissidents in that incident, including Annette Lu Hsiu-lien, who later became his deputy during his two terms as the island’s president.
Judicial sources said Mr. Chen was questioned for four hours over his alleged role in embezzling NT$14.8 million (HK$3.42 million) in secret state funds, laundering at least US$21 million and taking at least NT$600 million in bribes.
They said Mr. Chen said he knew nothing of a businesswoman who claimed she had helped his wife, Wu Shu-chen, move NT$740 million in cash to a local bank.
The sources said Mr. Chen denied any wrongdoing and insisted he was being persecuted by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who wanted to befriend Beijing and suppress his pro-independence campaign.
Taiwanese news media said yesterday’s questioning would likely be the last interrogation by prosecutors, who would soon formally indict Mr. Chen for corruption. Prosecutor Chen Yun-nan, however, declined to comment on whether the taskforce would bring charges in the next two weeks as the media had speculated. Chen Shui-ban has been questioned seven times since July 24.
If convicted, he could face 25 years in jail or more, a punishment a KMT legislator said the island’s prosecutor general, Chen Tsung-ming, believed was too heavy.
But Chen Yun-nan denied the prosecutor general had made such a comment.
“Although he has the power to command us and even handle the case himself, he has made no suggestions about the case,” he said.
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