Lin Ruey-tu (林瑞圖) emerged from the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office (台北地檢署) yesterday, brandishing a document he says proves Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) misconduct during his tenure as mayor of Taipei.
The independent lawmaker, appearing triumphant, said he has evidence to prove Chen misused his official post as mayor in trying to set up a lottery scheme with a Malaysian business group.
Probing charges of corruption filed by Lin, the Taipei District Court yesterday subpoenaed the president-elect to appear and provide information about the case.
Chen did not show up and no reason was given for his absence.
A handwriting analysis of a document produced by the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau was released by the court yesterday at Lin's request. The analysis concluded that the signature on the document was "very similar" to Chen's.
The court added a clause to the report, however, stating that more samples of Chen's handwriting would be required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was Chen's handwriting on the document.
In February, Chen Shui-bian said that one of his cousins, Chen Tien-fu (
At the time, Lin offered prosecutors copies of three letters which he claimed were written by Chen Shui-bian to Tan dating from between December 1997 and June 1999.
The contents, Lin claimed, were promises made by Chen to return the NT$200 million to the Malaysian business group, to make up for the losses it incurred after the city lottery plan was abandoned.
"Mayor Chen never authorized us to contact anyone to inquire about operating a lottery, and we did not sign the mayor's name on any letters," Chen Tien-fu has said in the past, defending the now president-elect.
DPP headquarters and Chen's lawyer subsequently filed a countersuit against Lin, saying that the lawmaker could be indicted under the Election and Recall Law for using malicious accusations in an attempt to interfere with Chen's presidential bid.
Although officials stated that according to the Constitution, the investigation of the case will be postponed during Chen's tenure as president, some scholars have pointed out that Chen is not technically immune from criminal charges until he is sworn into his office on May 20.
Lin conceded there was little he could do in light of Chen's immunity, but promised he would be back in court in four years to see the case through.
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