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Supreme Court backs Chen on returning documents

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday in overturning a ruling by the Taiwan High Court that rejected Chen's request for the return of documents and articles held by the Taipei District Court as evidence in probes into allegations of corruption by the first family.

The Taipei District Court had obtained the documents from a prosecutorial team that indicted first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) and three presidential aides last year on charges of corruption and forgery after they allegedly embezzled money from the president's "state affairs fund."

Chen asked for the return of the documents on Sept. 6.

He argued that the documents contained "strictly confidential" information that enjoyed the protection of the State Secrets Act (國家機密保護法).

But the district court rejected Chen's request on Oct. 5.

Chen appealed the ruling to the Taiwan High Court.

On Oct. 23 the high court rejected the appeal on a technicality, namely that because the documents originated from the Presidential Office's accounting office and not Chen's own office, Chen's appealing of the original verdict "was questionable."

Following the Supreme Court ruling yesterday, the Taiwan High Court said that it would open a court hearing to discuss the matter in the near future.
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