The Taiwan High Court yesterday sentenced former Taipei Financial Center Corp chairwoman Diana Chen (陳敏薰) to 10 months in prison in a perjury trial relating to cases involving former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). It was Diana Chen’s third trial. The court commuted the 10-month sentence to a three-year probation.
The ruling said Diana Chen had expressed regret for committing perjury, adding that because her skills in international business could be put to good use as chairwoman of E-Da World, the court would grant her probation.
The court also ruled that she should perform 160 hours of community service.
Diana Chen can appeal the ruling with the Supreme Court.
In 2010, the Taiwan High Court sentenced Chen Shui-bian and his wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), to eight years in prison for allegedly accepting a bribe of NT$10 million (US$333,000) to help Diana Chen secure an appointment at a securities firm.
Diana Chen had insisted during Chen Shui-bian and Wu’s trial that the amount was given to the former first lady as a political donation for the Democratic Progressive Party during Chen Shui-bian’s tenure as party chairman.
However, prosecutors said the NT$10 million was promptly wired overseas, adding that it was a bribe, not a donation. Prosecutors then charged Diana Chen with perjury.
Chen Shui-bian is serving a 17-and-a-half-year prison sentence for corruption.
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