Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) refused to speak at his pre-trial hearing yesterday in protest against what he calls an unfair judicial system.
Because Chen had earlier dismissed his three lawyers in protest, he was represented by two public defenders — Tseng Te-rong (曾德榮) and Tang Chen-chi (唐禎祺).
Tseng and Tang represented Chen for the first time in the pre-trial hearing on new charges laid against the former president and his wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍).
Because Chen has refused to discuss the case with his court-appointed attorneys, Tseng and Tang prepared their arguments independent of Chen.
After listening to the prosecutors' statement, Chen's attorneys rebutted the allegations. Tsai read Chen his rights and asked if he understood, but Chen kept silent.
When Tsai asked whether Chen pleaded guilty or not guilty to the crimes, Chen said: “I don't plead guilty. I won't argue, I won't call witnesses, I won't examine witnesses, because I did not commit any crime.”
Tsai continued with other routine questions, but Chen did not respond.
Chen kept his silence until a short recess, when he told his two attorneys that he did not wish to call his wife as a witness.
On May 5, prosecutors said they had concluded the second part of the investigation into the former first family and charged Chen and his wife with taking bribes, profiteering and violating the Political Donation Act (政治獻金法).
Prosecutors accused the former president and his wife of accepting NT$10 million (US$300,000) in bribes from former Taipei Financial Center Corp chairwoman Diana Chen (陳敏薰).
Prosecutors alleged that Diana Chen gave the former first lady NT$10 million to help her gain the post of president of Grand Cathay Securities Corp (大華證券).
The indictment also accused the couple of inappropriately taking NT$300 million in political donations from former Chinatrust Financial Holding Co vice chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr (辜仲諒).
Prosecutors accused the former president of using election campaign funds and secret foreign relations as excuses to ask Koo for donations, which the couple then pocketed.
In response, Tang said that Wu and Diana Chen were as close as mother and daughter and the prosecution had not established a connection between Diana Chen giving money to the former first family and becoming the president of Grand Cathay Securities Corp.
Tseng also defended the former president by saying that Chen Shui-bian did not instruct Koo to give him money, and there was no proof that Chen received money for personal profit.
The two public defenders originally planned to call Wu as well as several former government officials as witnesses.
However, after Chen said he did not want Wu to be to the stand, the two retracted their request.
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