Former president Chen Shui-bian’s son Chen Chih-chung (陳致中) and daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching (黃睿靚) yesterday pleaded guilty to the charges against them, but prosecutors did not request that the two enter plea-negotiations.
Prosecutors said that because Chen Chih-chung and his wife have been charged with serious crimes, and are still suspected on other counts of money laundering that the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) is still investigating, the prosecution does not request that the court consider plea-negotiations. Prosecutors requested that the court proceed with litigation as usual.
In response, Yeh Ta-hui (葉大慧), a lawyer for the couple, said that he understood the prosecution’s concern that if they allow Chen Chih-chung and Huang to enter into plea-negotiations, it could conflict with legal proceedings on the other counts of money laundering still under investigation. However, he said the different counts of money laundering could be treated as one case because the funds were all wired under the direction of Chen Chih-chung’s mother Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) at around the same time. It could be argued that the transfers were all done with the same intent to commit a crime, Yeh said.
Yeh also asked that the court allow the two to enter into plea-negotiations because it would be a good chance to “educate the public” about the softer side of legal proceedings — that negotiations are permitted and the court encourages admitting to the crimes.
Taipei District Court Judge Tsai Shou-hsun (蔡守訓) said that since the prosecution did not request plea-negotiations, the court was in no position to make such a ruling.
Outside the courtroom, Yeh told reporters: “Chen Chih-chung and his wife have exhausted all means to wire the overseas funds back to Taiwan,” but as the funds have been frozen by Swiss authorities because of judicial mutual assistance, it is out of Chen Chih-chung’s and his wife’s hands.
The two had promised to wire about NT$1.2 billion (US$36.6 million) from Swiss accounts and paper companies back to Taiwan as part of conditions to enter plea-bargaining.
None of the money has been remitted. Taiwanese prosecutors are in the process of requesting that the money be unfrozen and wired back.
In related news, four other co-defendants in the case related to the former president have pleaded guilty to the charges against them, but none could enter into plea-negotiations.
Wu’s friend Tsai Ming-chieh (蔡銘杰) and contractor Kuo Chuan-ching (郭銓慶) pleaded guilty to helping Wu obtain US$2.73 million in bribes in connection with a land deal in Longtan (龍潭), Taoyuan County.
Prosecutors requested the court sentence Tsai Ming-chieh to two years in prison, five years probation and a fine of NT$10 million, because he confessed to his crimes.
Wu’s brother Wu Ching-mao (吳景茂) and his wife Chen Chun-ying (陳俊英) also pleaded guilty to helping the former first lady launder money through overseas accounts.
They and Chen Chih-chung and his wife are due again in court next Thursday for closing arguments.
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