The trial of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) on charges of embezzling state funds is scheduled to begin on Oct. 21, the Taipei District Court announced yesterday.
Judge Hu Tsung-kan (胡宗淦) will preside over the case, the district court said.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Special Investigation Division (SID) announced that Yang Jung-tsung (楊榮宗) and Cheng Shen-yuan (鄭深元) are set to be the prosecutors.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
As the indictments pertain to national security matters, the hearing is to be held behind closed doors, the court said, adding that security measures were already in place for Lee’s hearing.
The SID accuses Lee and Liu Tai-ying (劉泰英), an aide, of illegally siphoning US$7.8 million from secret diplomatic funds used by the National Security Bureau and laundering the money during his terms in office from 1988 to 2000.
The SID said Lee used those funds to set up the Taiwan Research Institute, which later made him honorary chairman.
The think tank used some of the funds — allegedly laundered by Ruentex Group (潤泰集團) — to purchase luxury offices in downtown Taipei for Lee and Liu, which were also built by the conglomerate, prosecutors said.
They also allege that Liu pocketed US$440,000.
If convicted, the 88-year-old former president could face at least 10 years in prison.
Lee has denied any involvement in corruption.
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