Former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je has been released from custody following a ruling by the Taipei District Court, which found insufficient evidence to justify further detainment. This decision, as reported by Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA), declared that Ko should be freed without bail.
Ko, who is a prominent member of the Taiwan People’s Party and garnered considerable support as a third-party candidate in Taiwan’s recent presidential election, was initially arrested on August 31 on corruption charges related to the illegal increase of the floor area ratio for the city’s Core Pacific City Development Project. The arrest led to his overnight interrogation and subsequent detention due to concerns by the Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office about potential collusion.
The court highlighted that to establish Ko’s guilt, it needed to be proven that he knowingly made illegal decisions that benefitted the developers, a burden of proof that the investigators could not meet. Ko has denied any prior knowledge of the floor area increase until March, as asserted in a statement to the court.
In contrast, former Deputy Mayor Peng Zhengsheng has been ordered to remain in custody. The court observed sufficient evidence indicating Peng’s involvement and personal gain from the corruption scandal, infringing upon Taiwan’s Anti-Corruption Act. Peng is also linked to several private parties under suspicion in the affair, justifying the decision to hold him incommunicado.
The Taipei District Prosecutor’s Office has announced their intention to appeal the court’s ruling. Meanwhile, Ko continues to assert his innocence and has received backing from the Taiwan People’s Party, which criticized his arrest as unlawful. Further developments are expected as the legal proceedings continue.