Jun.11, 18:08:03

Taipei, June 11 (CNA) Former president Chen Shui-bian, who has been in detention since Dec. 30, 2009 in connection with corruption, forgery and money laundering charges, promised Friday to wire more of his overseas funds back to Taiwan if the court releases him.

In his oral plea for release on bail, the former president told the Taiwan High Court that he will wire another NT$570 million back to Taiwan in addition to the US$21 million that the court is seeking to confiscate from the former first family.

During a hearing on his request for release on bail, Chen thanked the court for cutting his sentence from life imprisonment to 20 years. He said he appreciated the court's refusal to grant the prosecutors' request for the harshest penalty to be handed down to him or for lower court's sentence to be upheld.

"It gave me hope that the court will free me to allow me to clear my name though the justice system," Chen said.

He said that his family has NT$570 million in the Wegelin bank in Switzerland, in addition to funds in Merrill Lynch Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland in that country. If he is released, he said, he will complete the paperwork to transfer the Wegelin bank funds to Taiwan within one week.

"All of that money was political contributions from my supporters and has nothing to do with the charges against me, " the former president said.

Regarding the US$21 million deposits at Merrill Lynch Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland, one of Chen's lawyers said US$14.52 million has already been remitted to Taiwan as requested by prosecutors, and the balance has been frozen by Swiss authorities.

The attorney said the prosecutors' claim that Chen would try to flee the country if he was released cannot hold water.

The prosecutors have asked the court to keep Chen in custody to ensure that he serves his full sentence when the trials end.

The high court, which had suggested during its hearing of Chen's appeal that it might favorably consider his request for bail if he transfers his overseas funds back to Taiwan, ordered that he be remanded in custody while he is awaiting the ruling.

The court will decide before June 23, when Chen's detention period expires, whether to detain him for another two months.

Chen and his wife Wu Shu-jen were accused of accumulating about NT$1 billion in embezzled public funds and bribes during Chen's terms as president.