2010/07/19 23:23:25

Taipei, June 19 (CNA) The Taiwan High Court ruled Monday that former President Chen Shui-bian, who has been detained since Dec. 30, 2008 in connection with corruption, forgery and money laundering charges, will be detained for three months from Monday.

After a hearing of roughly two hours, the panel of three judges ruled that the ex-first family had not yet remitted all of their foreign bank deposits back to Taiwan, and there remained the possibility that Chen could flee once released.

The court said the ex-first family is estimated to have stashed US$22.42 million in illegal gains in Swiss banks, and has only wired US$11.52 million of it back to a Taiwan bank account designated by prosecutors.

It added that Chen might procrastinate in transferring the money in the hope that he could someday use it after going abroad.

The Taiwan High Court had already extended Chen's detention for two months to August 21 in June, but because of the former president's criminal case, it was forced to hold another hearing on the matter Monday.

Chen and his wife Wu Shu-jen were found guilty of corruption, forgery and money-laundering charges in September 2009 and given life sentences, but the Taiwan High Court reduced the sentences to 20 years on June 11.

Chen, his wife and the Special Investigation Division under the Supreme Prosecutors Office, which led the probe into the ex-president's cases, all appealed the verdict to the Supreme Court.

The Taiwan High Court turned the criminal case to the Supreme Court Monday, but in line with Taiwan's Criminal Procedure Law, it was also required to hold another hearing on Chen's detention even though his most recent term had more than a month to run before expiring.

Chen's lawyer complained later Monday that because the Supreme Court now has jurisdiction over the former president's case, the Taiwan High Court should not have had the authority to rule on the detention issue.

He said he would ask the Constitutional Court for a constitutional interpretation on the issue.

In his appearance at the Taiwan High Court hearing Monday, the former president suggested that it is not him who should be detained, but rather former Miaoli County Magistrate and Legislator Ho Chih-hui.

He argued that it was ridiculous that the judges detained a former president whose life was tied to the fortunes of Taiwan's people while failing to bust a bandit lawmaker who fled after three judges who he bought off acquitted him.

"While releasing Ho, who should be arrested by any standard, detaining me on the grounds that I might escape is a tremendous humiliation to a former president who has devoted all his heart and soul to Taiwan," Chen said.

Chen and his wife were indicted for accumulating about NT$1 billion (US$31.15 million) in embezzled public funds and bribes during Chen's terms as president from 2000-2008.

The ex-president and his wife have denied the charges, arguing that the funds are political contributions from their supporters.