Wu prosecutor under pressure

Prosecutor Chang Hsi-huai (張熙懷), who is handling the Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) "state affairs fund" case, was accused yesterday by a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker of harboring pro-China sentiment.

"As a public servant, it is a little odd that Chang goes to China every year and has established a scholarship there," DPP Legislator Lin Kuo-ching (林國慶) said during a press conference.

Lin said that Chang should make it clear whether he had ever made "incorrect" comments by criticizing President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) or denying the sovereignty of Taiwan during his visits to China.

When the trial opened last Friday, Chang told Wu's lawyers that he would not subpoena "people who don't tell the truth" as witnesses.

It was believed that the remark was aimed at the president.

"What Chang said violated the principle of presumption of innocence," Lin said.

"Chang never established a scholarship in Taiwan," Lin said. "Why, then, did he set up a Chang Hsi-huai Criminal Procedure Scholarship in China?"

Chang said the scholarship was established at the request of a university in China and that he had only made a total contribution of 10,000 yuan (US$1,278).

In a statement released yesterday, the Taiwan Taipei District Prosecutors' Office said that Chang's visits to China involved no irregularities.