Former first family plead guilty to perjury

The former first couple's son Chen Chih-chung, daughter Chen Hsing-yu, and son-in-law Chao Chien-ming, also made guilty pleas at the same court hearing. Each of them had been sentenced to six months for perjury in the case at the district court trial.

They were indicted July 17, 2008, on the grounds that Wu abetted her son, daughter and son-in-law to give false testimonies to prosecutors during an investigation into her alleged embezzlement of public funds.

The prosecutors found that Wu used invoices provided by her children and Chao, among others, to claim reimbursement from the presidential state affairs fund that was supposed to have been used exclusively for state affairs by her husband, then President Chen, during his eight-year tenure from 2000 to 2008.

Wu then allegedly told them to lie to the investigators by asserting that they got the invoices from purchases made for their parents, or for dining with friends on behalf of their parents.

Also indicted and convicted in the case was business executive Diana Chen, who was charged with lying during the trial of Wu and Chen Shui-bian by denying that she had given Wu NT$10 million in exchange for favoritism to help her gain a senior post in a state-controlled firm.

Diana Chen was sentenced to one year and six months for perjury by the Taipei District Court. She pleaded guilty of perjury in a Taiwan High Court hearing the previous day and asked for clemency by confessing that she had lied in the earlier trial.

All five appealed for more lenient sentences on the grounds that their jail terms are more than they deserve. The High Court judges presiding over yesterday's hearing asked the defendants to submit written requests for the sentences they felt to be appropriate at the next court hearing.

The case stems from Wu and her husband's convictions for corruption, forgery and money laundering, for which they were each given life sentences in a separate trial by the Taipei District Court.

They denied the charges, claiming that the probe and trial were politically motivated. They have appealed against the sentences at the Taiwan High Court.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos Respond to this email