Ko frame-up claims rejected

The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has rejected accusations of a frame-up and misconduct in its ongoing graft investigation into former Taiwan mayor and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je after his arrest at the weekend.

Ko, chairman of Taiwan People's Party, and others were named in May in a scandal during Ko's 2014-2022 term as mayor, in which the developer of the downtown Core Pacific City shopping center was given permission to massively expand the floor space available for lease.

Ko was placed under arrest on Saturday after being interrogated for nearly 19 hours since the night before.

He was reportedly arrested and placed incommunicado after refusing to answer questions on the property case.

His home and TPP offices were raided before he was called in for questioning on Friday.

The TPP accused the prosecutors office of improper searches and interrogation procedures and collusion with news media, which it said violated Ko's privacy and the principle of impartiality.

It said the long interrogation was an attempt by prosecutors to tire Ko out to let him incriminate himself. The party also alleged that, before Ko's arrest, prosecutors and journalists might have colluded to sway public opinion by leveling baseless allegations against Ko, including that he has accepted bribes and that his family has access to unexplained funds, according to Taiwan News.

Wu Yi-hsuan, spokesperson for the TPP's emergency response group, said prosecutors also violated the privacy of people and groups related to the case by divulging details to the media. In an earlier statement, the TPP said Ko has been "framed with fabricated charges despite his cooperation" with authorities.

The TPP called on the Judicial Yuan to exercise "independence and impartiality" as it "fairly deliberates the judgment." The statement included four main points, including that Ko has been committed to public service throughout his time as a public official.

The second referred to the Core Pacific City property case, which the TPP claims Ko's municipal administration handled in accordance with the law and in cooperation with the relevant authorities.

The third criticized prosecutors' handling of the case and Ko's arrest, and the fourth was that Ko has fully cooperated with authorities but has still been arrested on "fabricated" charges.

The prosecutors office brushed off the allegations yesterday, saying there was no violation of standard procedure and that its investigation has been carried out in full accordance with the law. It denied leaking any information to the media.

In response to the claim of unfair interrogation practices, prosecutors said they offered Ko the opportunity to rest between sessions, but he refused them.

Prosecutors also noted that the decision to hold Ko incommunicado was approved by the court.

Also embroiled in the case are former Taipei deputy mayor Pong Cheng-sheng, Taipei City councillor Ying Hsiao-wei, and Core Pacific Group chairman Sheen Ching-jing.

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