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Prosecutors quiz Wu in corruption investigation

Prosecutors questioned former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) wife Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) yesterday in a corruption probe, days after Chen was detained in connection with the same case.

The Supreme Prosecutor Office’s Special Investigation Panel (SIP) prosecutors Chu Chao-liang (朱朝亮), Lin Cher-hui and Lee Hai-lung (李海龍) led a team of four assistant prosecutors, one physician and two nurses to visit Wu and her daughter Chen Hsing-yu (陳幸妤) at their residence at 10am. They left the location at around 1:50pm.

The wheelchair-bound Wu was questioned at her home instead of the prosecutor’s office because of her frail condition, they said.

Wu was interrogated on suspicion of money laundering, having previously been indicted for graft and forgery over the alleged embezzlement of around NT$15 million (US$450,000) during Chen Shui-bian’s term, a case that also implicated the former president.

Chen Shui-bian has admitted to submitting falsified expense forms to claim state funds but said the money was used for “secret diplomatic missions,” not for his personal benefit. He has also said that his wife wired US$20 million abroad from past campaign funds, while denying that he laundered money.

During yesterday’s questioning, Wu maintained that the family’s overseas funds came from campaign donations, her lawyer Lee Sheng-hsiung (李勝雄) said.

“She said she was not a civil servant and could not interfere in government affairs,” Lee said, rejecting allegations that Wu had accepted money in return for political favors.

Taiwan Cement Corp (台泥) chairman Leslie Koo (辜成允) said on Friday that he had given a “commission” of NT$400 million to the Chen family in exchange for the government purchase of his land. Koo said that two of Wu’s acquaintances, Tsai Ming-chieh (蔡銘杰) and Tsai Ming-che (蔡銘哲), told him there would be a NT$400 million “commission” if the sale were successful.

As to a statement by Tsai Ming-cher that he had received NT$100 million and NT$420 million on Wu’s behalf from two prominent business tycoons in 2003, Lee quoted Wu as saying that she had only received NT$90 million and NT$200 million in political contributions from the two businessmen.

Wu told prosecutors that neither she nor her husband knew who the contributors were until newspapers disclosed recently that they were Leslie Koo and Chinatrust Financial Holding Co vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒).

Lee quoted Wu as denying that she had ever asked Tsai to handle business for her or retained Tsai Ming-che as her aide, and swearing to kill Tsai if “he dared to demand money from others in my name.”

In February 2004, the National Science Council bought the land to build an industrial park. Koo said he then wired the NT$400 million to an account number given to him by Tsai Ming-cher.

The Taipei District Court ordered Chen Shui-bian to be locked up on Wednesday.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JIMMY CHUANG AND CNA

Also See: Group protests former president’s detention

Also See: Ma calls on detainees to start eating
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