TPP leader Ko Wen-je posts bail, again, in corruption case

Taipei, Dec. 30 (CNA) Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was freed on bail ahead of his upcoming corruption trial after posting revised bail of NT$70 million (US$2.13 million) at the Taipei District Court Monday.

Ko's wife, Chen Pei-chi (陳佩琪), delivered the outstanding NT$40 million in cash -- on top of Ko's original bail of NT$30 million -- to the court around 1:30 p.m. Monday, hours before a 5 p.m. payment deadline.

Ko, who had spent the day in a trial waiting room following a bail hearing that ended late Sunday, departed the courthouse at 3:43 p.m. accompanied by Chen and several TPP officials.

He did not respond to questions from reporters.

Ko, the TPP's 2024 presidential candidate, was indicted Thursday on charges of bribery and other forms of corruption, in connection with real estate dealings during his second term as Taipei mayor from 2018 to 2022.

The court, however, agreed to grant Ko NT$30 million bail as his trial proceeded, freeing him from nearly four months of incommunicado detention as he was investigated by prosecutors.

Prosecutors quickly challenged Ko's release, and on Sunday the Taiwan High Court rescinded the lower court's ruling and ordered it to reconsider its decision to grant bail to Ko and three other suspects in the case.

At a detention hearing that stretched from 3 p.m. Sunday to midnight, the Taipei District Court increased Ko's bail to NT$70 million from the original NT$30 million and ordered him to wear an electronic tag during his release.

Aside from Ko, three other suspects in the case -- real estate tycoon Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), Ko's former mayoral office head Lee Wen-tsung (李文宗), and Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇) -- were also released Monday after posting revised bail of NT$100 million, NT$20 million and NT$30 million, respectively.

Ko faces a total sentence of 28.5 years, including 15 years for bribery, 5 years and 6 years for separate cases of embezzlement, and 2.5 years for breach of public trust, according to the indictment.

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