Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), a former vice premier, was yesterday afternoon released on bail of NT$5 million (US$153,965) amid allegations of corruption dating back to his time as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022.
The Taoyuan District Court said in a statement that prosecutors had collected significant evidence on the case, which occurred seven years ago, so there was no need to detain Cheng.
Four other suspects have been detained, the court added.
Photo: Yu Jui-jen, Taipei Times
Despite his release, Cheng has to remain in the same residence, is barred from leaving Taiwan and is prohibited from contacting other suspects and witnesses, the court said.
Another suspect surnamed Yang (楊), who is in his late 80s, was also released, but is barred from changing residence, the court added.
Prosecutors summoned Cheng for questioning on Friday, and after more than 16 hours, the Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office early yesterday morning sought approval from the court to detain him, due to his major role in the case.
Although Cheng denied any involvement during the questioning, evidence points toward him taking a bribe and leaking information to other suspects in the case, the court said.
Local media reported that Cheng allegedly took a bribe to assist in rezoning a plot in Guishan District (龜山) from farmland to land designated for industrial development.
The court said that no evidence supported the allegation that Cheng was involved in laundering NT$5 million in cash linked to the corruption case, and rejected a request from prosecutors to detain him.
The prosecutors’ office said the court ruling had no merit and filed a petition against the decision during the hearing.
After the ruling on his birthday yesterday, Cheng left the court smiling, but did not talk to the media.
Earlier yesterday, Cheng’s lawyer said his client maintains his innocence and is willing to work with police and prosecutors to clarify the facts and restore his reputation as soon as possible.
Cheng, who served as vice premier from Jan. 31 last year to May 20 and is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, took over as chairman of the SEF, which manages cross-strait technical and business affairs, after President William Lai (賴清德) took office on May 20.
Asked about Cheng’s case on the sidelines of an event in Tainan yesterday afternoon, Lai said that prosecutors should investigate anyone involved in illegal activities, regardless of their political affiliations, and must not indulge anyone who has committed wrongdoings.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday urged prosecutors to investigate all major developments during Cheng’s term as Taoyuan mayor, and called on Cheng to resign from his post as SEF chairman.
In 2022, National Taiwan University revoked Cheng’s master’s degree over plagiarism in his thesis.
Cheng expressed his “regrets” and apologized for mistakes made in the thesis’ citations.
He was appointed vice premier after that.
Additional reporting by Shih Hsiao-kuang
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