Taipei - Taiwan's ex-president, Chen Shui-bian, is scheduled
to appear in court Monday in a corruption trial that his lawyer says
is weighted against him.
'Not only that the presiding judge Tsai Shou-hsun is (biased), but
most local news media are also one-sided. So the chances to win the
case in the district court trial are not high,' Chen's defense lawyer
Cheng Wen-lung told reporters Sunday.
He said local news media have been making unfavourable reports
against Chen, which Cheng believed would affect the decisions of the
judge's panel.
Chen has become the first retired Taiwanese president to stand
trial on charges of bribery, embezzlement, money laundering and
forgery. If convicted, he could face a jail term of up to life
imprisonment.
In August, Chen admitted that his wife, Wu Shu-chen, had wired 21
million US dollars abroad without his knowledge. But he stressed the
funds were left over from previous campaign donations.
He was detained on November 12 and released after his indictment
on December 12. But prosecutors appealed against his release to the
high court, saying Chen was a flight risk who might also threaten
witnesses in the case. As a result, Chen was remanded to the Taipei
Detention Centre on December 30, pending trial.
According to Tsai, the three-day trial, which begins on Monday, is
merely a preliminary session. No decisions or rulings are expected.
Chen will be questioned over his alleged role in two land deals in
which he was charged with taking bribes. The court will hold hearings
on the embezzlement case on Tuesday and the money laundering case on
Wednesday.
More than 200 policemen will be deployed to maintain order.
Hundreds of Chen's supporters are expected to rally outside the
courthouse.
Chen, who advocates for a fully indepent Taiwan, has claimed the
trial is politically motivated by his successor -- China-friendly
President Ma Ying-jeou -- in a bid to appease China and subdue the
pro-independence movement in Taiwan.
Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949, but
Beijing still regards Taiwan as an integral part of China that must
be brought back to its fold, if necessary by force.
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