Chen again released without bail

Chou upheld the release order he gave on Saturday.

Chen was released without bail first before daybreak on Saturday, following an overnight hearing after his indictment on charges of graft and money laundering on Friday.

Prosecutors of the Special Counsel, who indicted the ex-president, his wife and their son and daughter-in-law, appealed Chou's release order to the Taiwan high court Monday.

High court judges remitted the appeal to the district court, where three judges in conference with Chou presiding met for a rehearing.

Special Counsel prosecutors appealed for Chen's continued detention because he might flee Taiwan, collaborate with other defendants, destroy evidence and intimidate witnesses against him.

In particular, they cited Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori as an escapee who lived in Japan after he had been charged with corruption.

Chou pointed out there would be no possibility of Chen's escape in ordering the release of the ex-president.

Six of the Special Counsel prosecutors argued for the continued detention of Chen and his two defense lawyers since 2 p.m.

The prosecution contradicted Chou's claim that Chen was provided with government bodyguards 24 hours a day and his absence without their notice was impossible.

In fact, the prosecutors said, Chen alone visited a 16-year-old boy who claimed to be an expert tarot reader. "No bodyguards were with him," one prosecutor pointed out.

He said Chen is involved in two other scandals.

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