Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) today filed an appeal against the recent detention order issued by the Taipei District Court for him after three other defendants in the same case also appealed their detention.
The Taipei District Court said later today it had received his appeal.
The Taipei District Court on Thursday last week ruled that Ko, Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇), Core Pacific Group founder Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京) and Lee Wen-tsung (李文宗), finance chief of Ko’s presidential campaign for last year’s election, were to be detained again after the High Court revoked a bail ruling from the lower court for the second time. They had been detained last year for months until being allowed out on bail on Dec. 28.
Photo: Taipei Times file photo
Ko reportedly said in his appeal request that Hsu Chih-yu (許芷瑜), who worked as a secretary at his mayoral office and reportedly left Taiwan last year, was not an accomplice but “at most” a witness in the political donation embezzlement case against him.
As the investigation on corruption charges has ended, Hsu’s not returning to the country should not affect the case, Ko said in his appeal request.
His appeal request also said investigators had summoned hundreds of people in four months, creating a “chilling effect” on the TPP and its donors, describing detention as a means of violating human rights.
Last month, Ko was indicted on charges of corruption, embezzlement, breach of trust and other alleged offenses, and is facing a combined 28-year, six-month prison term.
The TPP in a statement released today said Ko would not flee nor collude with other codefendants or witnesses, expressing support for Ko.
The TPP also called for supporters to join their rally in support of Ko tomorrow afternoon, which more than 10,000 people have already signed up for, TPP Secretary-General Vincent Chou (周榆修) told a press conference today.
Additional reporting by Li Wen-hsin
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