The High Court yesterday ordered a lower court to hear an appeal against the decision to grant bail to former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).
After being held incommunicado for a year, Ko was released on Monday on bail of NT$70 million (US$2.31 million) on the condition that he wear an electronic tracking device and not leave Taiwan.
On Tuesday, prosecutors filed an appeal against Ko’s release, requesting that he be detained until they finish questioning witnesses next month.
Photo: CNA
The witnesses to be questioned include former Taipei Department of Urban Development director Huang Ching-mao (黃景茂), former Taipei deputy mayor and Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) and Wu Shun-min (吳順民), Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei’s (應曉薇) assistant.
Ying was released on bail of NT$30 million, which prosecutors have also filed an appeal against.
The high court criticized the lower court for issuing conflicting rulings within a relatively short time period and for failing to clearly define which witnesses Ko and Ying are barred from contacting.
The district court is scheduled to hear the detention requests at 10 am on Monday, with Ko and Ying required to report at 9 am.
In a statement, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) urged the court to uphold Ko's release, saying prosecutors have already questioned all critical witnesses over the past eight months and warning against undermining basic human rights.
Ko, former TPP chairman, was indicted in December last year for allgedly accepting bribes of NT$17.1 million in a property development deal during his tenure as Taipei mayor and embezzling political donations during his presidential campaign last year.
Prosecutors are seeking a total sentence of 28.5 years for Ko, who has maintained his innocence and said that the charges are politically motivated.
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