The Taipei District Court today approved an extended detention for Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇), while the Taiwan High Court rejected real-estate tycoon Sheen Ching-jing's (沈慶京) appeal to have his detention ended.
The two are in custody as part of an alleged corruption case involving a redevelopment project in Taipei that has embroiled Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).
Photo: CNA
Ying, of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), is accused of acting as a go-between between Sheen and high-ranking city government officials in the construction project, including then-Taipei mayor Ko.
Sheen, founder and chairman of the Core Pacific Group, is alleged to have bribed Taipei city officials to illegally increase the floor area ratio (FAR) of a site formerly occupied by Core Pacific City to raise the property's financial value.
Ko, Sheen and Ying have all denied the allegations.
Ying is to be held incommunicado for two more months as of tomorrow, as ruled by the Taipei District Court.
The court determined that Ying could potentially tamper with evidence or collude with coconspirators, as her statements on the case differ greatly from other witnesses and suspects, and other witnesses and potential accomplices have yet to be tracked down.
She also poses a flight risk, as she has the means to flee abroad for an extended period of time, the court said.
After being detained on Aug. 29, Sheen has been taken out of prison for medical treatment three times, being hospitalized the last time on Oct. 1 and taken back into custody on Oct. 15.
Sheen's attorney applied for a suspension of his detention, citing his poor health.
The request was rejected by the Taipei District Court, which said the hospital's report on Sheen's health condition did not markedly differ from previous ones and did not indicate a need for him to receive long-term specific medical care.
Sheen then appealed the ruling to the High Court.
In the second instance, the High Court rejected the appeal, saying the ruling in the first instance was clear in its statement, and in line with rules of experience and logic.
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