High Court upholds Ko Wen-je's detention in ongoing corruption trial

Taipei, June 12 (CNA) The Taiwan High Court on Thursday rejected an appeal by former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and three others, ordering their continued detention incommunicado for another two months in connection with an ongoing trial over alleged corruption during Ko's tenure in charge of Taiwan's capital from 2014 to 2022.

The ruling upheld a previous decision by the Taipei District Court on May 27 that extended the four defendants' custody beginning June 2, citing risks of collusion and unfinished witness testimony.

The High Court said the case remains in the evidence examination stage and that cross-examinations of several key witnesses have not yet been completed.

It added that the original detention order was intended to prevent coordination of testimony among the defendants and remains legally justified.

The court stated that Ko -- as well as co-defendants Core Pacific Group Chairman Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京), Kuomintang (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇), and former head of the Taipei mayor's office Lee Wen-tsung (李文宗) -- had been able to exercise their right to defense, including requesting evidence and presenting arguments.

It rejected claims that their continued detention infringed on their right to a fair trial.

Regarding Sheen's claim of poor health, the appellate court noted that a separate request to end Sheen's detention had been filed and would be handled by the lower court.

Ko, who served as Taipei mayor from 2014 to 2022 and led the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) from 2019 to 2025, was indicted in December along with Sheen, Ying and Lee.

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged the four under the Anti-Corruption Act on charges including bribery, embezzlement and breach of trust.

Prosecutors allege the defendants sought to manipulate urban planning decisions to secure financial gain for the real estate company during the redevelopment of the Core Pacific City complex in Taipei's Songshan District.

In testimony delivered in May, former Core Pacific Development Corp. Chairman Chu Yea-hu (朱亞虎) said that he delivered bribes to help boost the floor area ratio of the redevelopment project and political donations under employee names under Sheen's direction.

Prosecutors are seeking a total sentence of 28 years and six months for Ko, who finished third in Taiwan's 2024 presidential election with 26.46 percent of the vote.

On Jan. 2, the Taipei District Court ruled that Ko, Sheen, Ying and Lee were suspected of serious crimes and posed a risk of fleeing, tampering with evidence or colluding, and ordered their initial three-month detention.

That detention was extended on March 28 for an additional two months starting April 2, and again from June 2.

The lower court cited the complexity of the case and the continuing lack of clarity in the facts as grounds for continued custody.