Court orders detention of Taiwan ex-president

Court orders detention of Taiwan ex-president

(CNN) -- A judge ordered the former president of Taiwan detained Wednesday on corruption charges, just hours after he was taken to a hospital after he accused police of pushing and rough-handling him before he appeared in court in Taipei, according to state-run media.

Chen Shui-bian raises his hands with handcuffs as he is led away from the prosecutor's office in Taipei, Tuesday.

Chen Shui-bian, who according to Taiwan's Central News Agency is accused of embezzling 600 million Taiwan New Dollars ($18 million), was led away in handcuffs earlier in the day after six hours of questioning by prosecutors, said Jonathan Lai of ETTV, a CNN affiliate in Taiwan.

The ex-president, whose presidential term ended in May, held his cuffed hands up for journalists to see and shouted "Political persecution! Long live Taiwan!"

He was taken to National Taiwan University Hospital Tuesday night.

Taiwan's Central News Agency said anti-corruption prosecutors were investigating the ex-president "over his alleged misuse of his discretionary 'state affairs fund' and a money-laundering case involving the former first family."

Prosecutors have asked a three-judge panel to formally detain the ex-president. They said "it is necessary to take Chen into custody while they continue their probe because the crimes Chen is suspected of committing are felonies," according to the news agency.

Chen denies any wrongdoing.

On Monday, Chen told reporters he believed he would be detained, saying authorities could "lock up my body, not my heart," the agency said.

Chen has insisted the charges are politically motivated, Lai said.

Chen's political party favors independence for Taiwan while the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou favors closer ties with mainland China.

ETTV said Chen is charged with corruption, money laundering, forging documents, taking bribes and embezzling at least $21 million in government funds. He is also accused of hiding secret documents.

Nine other people have been arrested in the case, including Chen's former treasurer, and they have agreed to testify against him.

Dumbass. I'm sick of his bullshit, I really am. When he was first arrested it was obvious he's guilty as sin, but as the article states, he's managed to convince a few he's the victim of political persecution. Noooo, buddy, you're in shit for the 31 million US you and your kin tried to hide in a Swiss bank account. Then tried to cover up when the Swiss authorities asked about it.

seems like his sanity is slipping

His sanity wasn't all there to begin with.

When he was running to be a magistrate years ago, just before the election he claimed that the opposition poisoned his water and he fell ill. He lost that thankfully. Came out later that his water was fine and he wasn't really ill.

Just after an election for magistrate that he lost, his wife was hit by a truck - twice - and most people blamed the then government (which is now the current government, who won by a landslide). He's been milking that ever since.

Just prior to being elected for a second term as president he got shot in the stomach during a parade and rushed to hospital. Lots of rumors that the shooting was staged, but that's not really a big deal. The thing that gets me is just before people were set to cast their votes, he claimed that the bullet - which he said was a communist Chinese bullet - was still inside him. Turns out it wasn't, but by the time votes were already cast, and although the polls originally had him at a loss... he won by a good margin.

The first of the corruption charges came against him just after his second term begun. His wife was charged with accepting bribes and it was said that they had evidence against him but they couldn't get him until after he left the presidency. They had this big protest where 5 million people crowded the streets of Taipei in a bid to get him to step down, but it didn't happen.

His wife still hasn't been put on trial because she keeps claiming ill health. Although it was found that the doctor certificates she's been issued were from doctors who she actually had never had a consult with.

Anyhoo, the man is scum. Gonna get what's coming to him.

Chen on hunger strike after detention
Updated Thursday, November 13, 2008 3:06 pm TWN, AP

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Jailed former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has begun a hunger strike to highlight his allegations that he is being persecuted by his successors, his lawyer said Thursday.

Chen, who is under investigation for graft, was taken to Tucheng jail in suburban Taipei early Wednesday morning after a marathon court hearing concluded there was enough evidence to hold him for up to four months to prevent him from colluding with alleged co-conspirators.

Chen has not been officially charged in the case. He has denied all wrongdoing, and claims he is the victim of the new Nationalist government's efforts to placate the Beijing leadership. Chen is a strong advocate of Taiwanese independence and opposes the Nationalist policy of forging closer ties with China, from which Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949.

Lawyer Cheng Wen-lung, who visited the jail Thursday morning, said his client wants "to protest the death of justice and the regression of democracy."

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Cheng said Chen has not eaten since arriving there more than 24 hours earlier and insisted he is determined to continue his strike.

"He opposed the authoritarian (Nationalist) regime in Taiwan and the Communist regime (in China) and he wants sovereignty for Taiwan," Cheng added.

Corrections official Lee Ta-chu said his institution "is monitoring (Chen's) situation closely." He did not elaborate.

Taiwan's current Nationalist president, Ma Ying-jeou, swept to victory in March elections, partly on a promise to expand economic ties with the mainland, and begin a political dialogue aimed at ending nearly 60 years of tensions across the 100-mile wide Taiwan Strait.

But long-standing corruption allegations against Chen, his family, and inner circle also played a big role in the Nationalist victory.

Chen ended eight years in office in May. Since then, he has been unstinting in his criticism of the Nationalists' China policy, and their alleged persecution of former officials connected to his administration.

Nine other people, including a former vice premier and a former intelligence chief, are being held in connection with the same graft allegations mounted against Chen.

Dumbass.

He couldn't even hack a week. He was sent to hospital yesterday.

There are 2 other folks on hunger strikes (both are on trial for corruption also) and they've lasted much longer. Dude's too fat, needs food bad.

Dude went to court today. First day of trial, I believe. Instead of entering a plea he went on a rant. During the rant he accused the current president of having an affair with an old African-American radio DJ who was found to have been gay (even though he was married to a local) and eventually deported (I don't know the specifics, you can't deport someone for being gay). It's surreal, it really is.