The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado.
The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice.
Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818).
Photo: CNA
However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing.
On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second time after again rejecting a detention request.
Cheng was released by the district court for a second time on bail of NT$12 million after he paid NT$7 million late on Tuesday to add to the earlier NT$5 million payment.
Prosecutors appealed the second ruling at the bail hearing.
After the ruling, the Democratic Progressive Party’s Anti-corruption Committee announced that Cheng’s party membership would be suspended for three years starting today.
Cheng’s lawyer said that he would appeal the latest bail decision.
The High Court in its revocation of the second bail ruling said there were several unanswered questions left by the district court in allowing bail, including why it overlooked the possibility of collusion between Cheng and others, as well as Cheng’s substantial influence in the Taoyuan City Government.
The High Court said that collusion was still likely, as several suspects were released or granted bail after being questioned by prosecutors.
Cheng is well-connected in Taiwanese politics and business circles, which shows he has high political status and social influence, which would make it easy for him to collude with others, it said.
The district court on Tuesday said in a statement that it found no evidence to justify detaining Cheng, as he left his post as Taoyuan mayor more than 18 months ago and it is doubtful he still has influence in the city government.
The district court said that four other suspects have been detained, with only one suspect, an elderly man, granted bail, so there is little possibility they would collude with Cheng.
The case came to light on Friday last week, when Cheng was summoned by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office as part of an investigation into alleged corruption involving a land zoning deal while he was mayor of Taoyuan.
After questioning him, prosecutors said that they suspected Cheng of having accepted a bribe, leaked information to other suspects in the case and laundered money.
The prosecutors filed a motion to detain and hold him incommunicado.
After serving as Taoyuan mayor, Cheng became vice premier in January last year and stayed in the post until May 20, when he was appointed chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation.
He stepped down from his foundation post on Sunday.
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