The wife of former Taipei Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) died today in an apparent suicide prior to Pong's appearance in court today in connection with the Core Pacific corruption case.
The Taipei District Court today summoned Pong, former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), founder and chairman of the real-estate conglomerate Core Pacific Group, to listen to a recording of Pong’s interrogation.
While waiting in court for the hearing to begin, Pong received a call from his family that his wife had died after falling from a building in Kaohsiung, leading to him breaking down in tears.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Following the news, the court canceled the morning session and plans to listen to the recordings in the afternoon.
Pong told the prosecutors that he wanted to commit suicide to prove his innocence.
The court considered sending Pong to the hospital for treatment, but later allowed him to return home with his younger brother.
The Kaohsiung City Fire Department said today that it received a report at 9:01am of a woman who fell from a building in Sanming (三民) District.
Arriving on the scene, they found a 72-year-old woman surnamed Hsieh (謝), who was Pong's wife, on the ground. She was declared dead at the scene, they added.
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), which Pong is a member of, said that it is deeply shocked and sad, adding that its members who had been present at the court felt grief and anger as Pong expressed his sorrow.
It extended condolences to Pong and his family and called on society to show him care and understanding, it said.
The party would support Pong in handling subsequent matters and provide legal support, it said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said it empathized with Pong, and questioned whether the court is forcing defendants to confess, asking if this was the democratic system that President William Lai (賴清德) has highlighted.
Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) said she has known Pong for years and that this is a tragic situation.
With regards to the investigation, Wu said that she hoped prosecutors and investigators would be fair.
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