Wu admits bookkeeper gave her money from state fund

Wu was asked if she had NT$700 million remitted to the two Swiss banks.

Her brother Wu Ching-mao had the money remitted to the banks, which reported the suspected money laundry to Egmont in August last year.

When the news of the suspected money laundering broke, President Chen apologized to the public on August 13, admitting that he had done what the law forbids.

“That money was political contributions,” Wu insisted. “It's no slush fund.”

How come it's remitted in many batches over a long time?

“My husband ran for office many times,” Wu said. “So did I,” she added. “Political contributions came in just as many times, and the remissions were done just as many times.”

The ex-first lady was a little nervous at the three-hour hearing, which started at 2:30 a.m. She bit her nails from time to time, though she nodded with a smile to Chen Chen-hui when they faced each other.

She will appear at another trial hearing tomorrow. Ma Yung-cheng and his successor Lin Teh-hsun would be subpoenaed to confront the former first lady.

Two more hearings will follow on March 31 and April 2. Auditors at the Office of the President would be cross-examined.

On April 7, Geoffrey Koo, Jr., former vice chairman of the Chinatrust Financial Holdings, will meet the ex-first lady at a cross-examination session.

Koo testified he brokered a government purchase of land for a science-based industrial park at Longtan and paid altogether NT$400 million as a commission to the former first couple.

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