The High Court yesterday rejected the appeals of four defendants in a corruption investigation involving a redevelopment project in Taipei that has embroiled Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).
Core Pacific Group chairman Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), former Taipei deputy mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲), Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇) and Ying’s assistant Wu Shun-min (吳順民) all lost their appeals against the Taipei District Court’s decision to detain them late last week.
They are accused of contravening the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例) by illegally lobbying the Taipei City Government to increase the floor area ratio of the Core Pacific City project to raise its value.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Ko, who was Taipei mayor at the time, was ordered detained on Thursday after previously being released without bail in an earlier decision that was sent back by the High Court.
He can appeal the decision, but had not done so as of press time last night.
There was evidence Pong attempted to tamper with evidence and colluded with other defendants to lie about details concerning the case, the High Court said in its decision.
Sheen and Wu had no reason to appeal, the court said, adding that while Sheen had been granted medical parole, he was returned to prison and was continuing his treatment there.
Ying’s appeal was denied because her suspected crime is serious and holds a minimum penalty of five years in prison, the court said.
There is also reason to believe she might attempt to flee, collude or tamper with evidence, it said.
Ying was taken into custody after prosecutors found that she had attempted to fly to Hong Kong on Tuesday last week.
Prosecutors had stopped Ying at immigration and brought her in for questioning.
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