Top prosecutor to resign over probes

The nation's top prosecutor yesterday offered to resign to take responsibility for the uproar over probes into vote-buying ahead of recent local elections and the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) scandal.

"I take responsibility for the inefficiency of vote-buying investigations for the Dec. 3 local government elections," the State Public Prosecutor-General Wu Ying-chao (吳英昭) said yesterday.

"People involved in the local government elections and social groups have criticized me for the unfairness of vote-buying investigations since the campaign. I attempted to clear up this matter but failed to quiet the uproar," he added. "I am very sad that even some prosecutors have misunderstood me ... I have decided to offer my resignation to the president and retire."

Criticism

Wu's resignation came yesterday afternoon, shortly after President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) criticized some law enforcement officials for their disappointing performance in recent probes into vote-buying and the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp (KRTC) scandal.

While giving a speech at a ceremony for new investigators who have just concluded their training programs at the Bureau of Investigation, Chen said that the performance of law enforcement officials was still unsatisfactory. Taking the year-end legislative election last year and local elections early this month as examples, the president said that vote-buying remains a serious problem and that it seemed that investigators could do nothing.

"A fairer and more objective performance could strengthen the government's prestige and public trust," Chen said.

Chen encouraged the new force to become self-respecting investigators, hoping that all law enforcement officials will perform better in the future.

"Recently, some prosecutors have violated the gag order, further tarnishing the Bureau of Investigation," Chen said.

Political observers interpreted his remarks as expressing discontent with the role of the so-called "Deep Throat" who allegedly disclosed details regarding the KRTC scandal to the public.

As of press time yesterday, the Presidential Office had not made any statement regarding Wu's resignation. Presidential Office Spokesman Chen Wen-tsung (陳文宗) yesterday said the Presidential Office has not yet received Wu's resignation and that it will comment on the matter only after it receives the relevant paperwork.

Prior to offering his resignation yesterday afternoon, Wu faced criticism over vote-buying investigations as well as criticism from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and legal associations, who called for a more independent legal system and asked the government to recall Wu.

Cover-up charges

Pan-blue lawmakers alleged that Wu had interfered in probes into the KRTC to cover up for high-ranking Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials.

They also alleged that Wu ordered the opening of several court files received from Switzerland related to the Lafayette-class frigate scandal a few days before the election in order to highlight the pan-blue camp's corruption and promote the DPP in the elections.

"Recent controversies surrounding the probes into the KRTC and Lafayette scandals have shown that Wu is not suitable for his job," said Prosecutors Reform Association spokesman Chen Chih-ming (陳誌銘) yesterday.

Wu has been unable to lead prosecutors in a probe of corruption among high-level officials, Chen Chih-ming said, adding that the association welcomed Wu's decision to step down.