Taiwan’s Supreme Court rejected the appeals of former ROC President Chen Shui-bian and first lady Wu Shu-jen Nov. 11, ordering the couple serve 19-year sentences for corruption.
The court also required Chen and Wu to each pay fines of NT$150 million (US$5 million) after determining they accepted bribes amounting to NT$420 million from local enterprises to facilitate a land purchase deal in Longtan Township in northern Taiwan’s Taoyuan County.
The Supreme Court said the former first couple violated Article 5 of the Anti-corruption Statute, which stipulates that any public official or person acting as an accomplice who “corruptly demands, solicits, receives, accepts or agrees to receive or accept bribes or other unjust enrichment in return for being influenced in the performance of official acts” shall be sentenced to imprisonment of not less than seven years.
In addition to Chen and Wu, former Hsinchu Science Park Director-General James Lee and Wu’s friend Tsai Ming-che were found guilty of graft in connection with the Longtan case. They were sentenced to 42 months and 8 months in jail, respectively.
The court also sentenced Chen and Wu to eight years and NT$5 million each for accepting a bribe of NT$10 million from former Taipei Financial Center Corp. Chairwoman Diana Chen to help her obtain chairmanship of Grand Cathay Securities Corp. Wu was given seven months in jail for money laundering in the case.
The sentences in both the Longtan and Grand Cathay cases cannot be appealed further.
Prosecutors must now apply to the High Court for a ruling on whether Chen’s and Wu’s sentences will be served consecutively or concurrently. Legal experts estimated that Chen and Wu will have to serve at least 13 years in prison.
The Supreme Court sent three other cases involving a land deal in Taipei city, money laundering and embezzlement of diplomatic funds back to the lower court for new rulings. If Chen is found guilty in any of these cases, the legal experts said, he is likely to be imprisoned for a total of 20 years. (THN)
Write to Grace Kuo at morningk@mail.gio.gov.tw