Retrial finds Chen Shui-bian cannot be prosecuted for money laundering

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) The Taipei District Court on Thursday maintained in a retrial its earlier ruling that former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) cannot be prosecuted for money laundering due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

The money laundering allegations stem from a separate case in which Chen and his wife Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) were accused of accepting NT$10 million (US$303,567) in bribes to appoint Diana Chen (陳敏薰) chairperson of Taipei 101.

Chen Shui-bian, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party, was president from 2000 to 2008, while Diana Chen served as Taipei 101's first head of operations from 2004 to 2008.

During the bribery case, in which the former president and his wife were both sentenced to eight years in prison, the Taiwan High Court opined that Chen had also been an accomplice to money laundering, prompting Taipei prosecutors to open an investigation and ultimately file charges.

As Chen's money laundering case got underway, however, he was found by doctors to be unfit to stand trial on medical grounds, as a result of which the trial was suspended on May 13, 2015.

In May of last year, the Taipei District Court said Chen could no longer be prosecuted, as the statute of limitations for the crime -- 10 years at the time -- had expired.

Prosecutors appealed the decision to the Taiwan High Court, which ruled that both sides had a right to be heard before a final judgment was made in the case. It revoked the initial ruling and sent the case back to the lower court for a retrial.

In a new ruling Thursday, the Taipei District Court doubled down on its contention that Chen cannot be prosecuted if the statute of limitations had passed, regardless of his health issues and ability to stand trial.

It also issued a detailed calculation showing that the statute of limitations in the case should be 16 years, nine months and 25 days, owing to various extensions, beginning from the date of the last alleged crime on Jan. 25, 2006. On that basis, the statutory period has expired, the court said.

The ruling can be appealed.

Chen Shui-bian was detained by prosecutors shortly after his second term ended in 2008, and was later sentenced to 20 years in prison in a series of corruption cases.

He was released from prison on medical parole in 2015.