Chen Shui-bian keeps silent at court session

He attended the debate session, the last before presiding judge Tsai Shou-hsun hands down verdicts on all four cases involving the ex-president and his family, as was expected but did not try to defend himself.

Hsu Tian-tsair, mayor of Tainan and a confidant of the ex-president, told the press on Monday Chen would argue his case.

Chen let his two public defense attorneys do the arguing instead.

They said after the hearing was closed in the afternoon that Chen was “very much satisfied” with their arguments about his innocence.

“He actually said we did better than he could ever do himself,” Tseng Teh-ying, one of the defense lawyers said.

Tang Chen-chi, the other court-appointed attorney, said she and Tseng read from President Chen's hand-written talking points totaling 150 pages.

Asked whether the arguments could be published, the two defense attorneys said they may consider publication.

But the defense focused the arguments for innocence on Chen having no knowledge of the bribes allegedly taken and money laundry.

On charges of misappropriating what is known as the “state affairs” fund, Tang argued that the fund is the same as the expenses, which can be written off without justification.

Both Chen and his wife Wu Shu-chen are charged with using receipts and invoices borrowed from friends and relatives to write off at least NT$1 billion in the eight years he was in office from 2000 to 2008.

Wu is standing trial for taking bribes to help award contracts for the Nankang Exhibition Hall and have the government purchase land at Longtan for a science-based industrial park at a bloated price.

She admitted she accepted political contributions, part of which were remitted to foreign banks. The money allegedly laundered topped NT$960 million.

Also involved in the four cases are former first son Chen Chih-chung, his wife Huang Jui-ching, and Chen's former staff, including Ma Yung-cheng, his deputy secretary-general.

Lee Chieh-mu, a former director-general of the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park, pleaded guilty to conspiring to buy the land at Longtan.

Lin Yi-chun, a Special Counsel prosecutor, argued against President Chen.

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