Detention extended for city councilor

Taipei, Oct. 28 (CNA) The Taipei District Court on Monday approved an extension of detention for Taipei City Kuomintang (KMT) Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇), while the Taiwan High Court rejected real estate tycoon Sheen Ching-jing's (沈慶京) appeal to have his detention ended.

The two individuals are both in custody as part of an alleged corruption case, known as the "Core Pacific City Case," that has embroiled Taiwan People's Party (TPP) leader Ko Wen-je (柯文哲).

Ying, of the opposition KMT, is accused of acting as a go-between between Sheen and high-ranking city government officials in the construction project, including then-Taipei City Mayor Ko.

Sheen, founder and chairman of the Core Pacific Group, is alleged to have bribed Taipei city officials to illegally increase the floor area ratio (FAR) of a site formerly occupied by Core Pacific City, in order to raise the property's financial value.

Ko, Sheen and Ying have all denied the allegations.

Ying is to be held incommunicado for two more months as of Oct. 29, as ruled by the Taipei District Court.

The district court determined that Ying could potentially tamper with evidence or collude with co-conspirators, as her statements on the case differ greatly from other witnesses and suspects, and other witnesses and potential accomplices have yet to be tracked down.

The city councilor also poses a flight risk, as she has the means to flee abroad for an extended period of time, said the court.

On the other hand, after being detained on Aug. 29., Sheen has been taken out of prison for medical treatment three times, being hospitalized the last time on Oct. 1 and taken back into custody on Oct 15.

Sheen's attorney applied for the suspension of his detention, citing his poor health. The request was rejected by the Taipei District Court, which said the hospital's report on Sheen's health condition did not markedly differ from previous ones and did not indicate a need for him to receive long-term specific medical care.

Sheen then appealed the ruling to the High Court.

In the second instance, the High Court rejected the appeal, saying the ruling in the first instance was clear in its statement, and in line with rules of experience and logic.

(By Liu Shih-yi and Wu Kuan-hsien)

Enditem/AW