Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), who has been detained since Dec. 30 ahead of his trial on money-laundering and corruption charges, will be held for another two months after March 26, the Taipei District Court ruled yesterday. The court also set a start date of March 17 for the trial.
Citing fears that Chen might collude with witnesses or try to abscond, the court extended his detention.
An aide at Chen’s office, who wished to remain anonymous, yesterday said the former president would appeal.
“Could it be that [the court] intends to keep Chen Shui-bian [at the Taipei Detention Center] until the first ruling is handed down?” the aide asked.
Presiding Judge Tsai Shou-shun (蔡守訓) said the trial would begin on March 17 and called the former president’s bookkeeper Chen Chen-hui (陳鎮慧) as the first witness.
Meanwhile, former first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) appeared at a pre-trial hearing yesterday. The hearing was held to clarify witness statements and evidence and to schedule court dates with the defendants and prosecutors in her trial.
Wu’s lawyer Lin Chih-chung (林志忠) asked that the court arrange a meeting with Wu, Chen Chen-hui, former Presidential Office deputy secretary-general Ma Yung-cheng (馬永成), former Chen Shui-bian office director Lin Teh-hsun (林德訓), and former Chinatrust Financial Holding Co vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒).
Tsai asked if Wu’s lawyers had enough time to examine the evidence in the money-laundering case, to which Lin suggested that tomorrow’s scheduled hearing be canceled because there was too much information to review.
Tsai agreed and announced that the next hearing would take place on March 12.
He also scheduled Ma and Lin Teh-hsun to testify in court on March 19; former director-general of the Presidential Office accounting department Fon Shui-lin (馮瑞麟) and accountant Chiu Chiung-hsien (邱瓊賢) to testify on March 31; accountants Lan Mei-ling (蘭梅玲) and Liang En-tzu (梁恩賜) on April 2; Koo on April 7; and former vice premier Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) and former premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) on April 9.
In related news, the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) said yesterday that the former first family’s physician Huang Fang-yen (黃芳彥) had been listed as a defendant in the money-laundering case.
“Dr. Huang Fang-yen is suspected of violating the Money Laundering Control Act [洗錢防制法],” SIP spokesman Chen Yun-nan (陳雲南) said.
Meanwhile, Koo boarded a plane to China yesterday morning. The purpose of his trip was not made public, but the SIP had been informed of his travel plans.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHIH HSIU-CHUAN AND CNA
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