At the end of the prosecutors’ rebutted, prosecutor Lin Chin-kang (林勤綱) repeatedly broke into tears talking about Chen Shui-bian’s corruption charges.
“Those who oppose the former president may not be willing to admit that even though he has committed serious mistakes, there still exists righteousness in him,” he said.
Yet although Chen had espoused the ideals of clean government in the past, he became corrupt, Lin said.
“To reprimand a revolutionary who, because of temptation, lost his ideals along the way, is a very cruel thing to do,” he said.
However, Lin did not mean to excuse Chen of all guilt.
“Those who know right from wrong, but choose to give in to temptation, should they take part of the responsibility?” Lin asked.
In related news, Taipei District Court judge Shen Chun-ling (沈君玲) was yesterday assigned to hear whether Chen Shui-bian’s daughter Chen Hsing-yu’s (陳幸妤) travel restrictions should be lifted.
Chen Hsing-yu, her brother Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), her husband Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘), and Diana Chen were charged on July 17 with making false witness statements in relation to the former first family’s embezzlement and corruption cases.
Wu was indicted for instigating perjury by allegedly instructing her children to lie during a probe into the embezzlement charges against both herself and her husband, the prosecutor said.
Chen Shui-bian, who left office last year, stands accused of embezzling public funds, money laundering, accepting bribes on a land deal, influence peddling and forgery. He has been detained since December last year.
The Taipei District Court will announce its verdict on Sept. 11.
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