Taipei: The Taipei District Prosecutors Office announced on Monday night its decision to appeal the court's ruling to release former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je on NT$70 million (US$2.3 million) bail, dismissing his assertion that the prosecutors had "found nothing" in the corruption case against him.
According to Focus Taiwan, the office criticized the statement made by the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) founder as "misleading" and "an obfuscation of the facts." They emphasized that prosecutors had fulfilled their burden of proof with evidence, witness testimony, and cross-examination results. The statement highlighted that the court had previously approved Ko's detention and its extension on three separate occasions.
The Taipei District Court granted Ko's release on September 5, with conditions including staying at a registered address, wearing an electronic monitoring device, not leaving the country, and avoiding contact with other defendants or witnesses in the case. Following his bail posting on Monday afternoon, Ko visited Hsinchu to see his mother and returned to Taipei a few hours later.
Ko has not yet responded to queries from the press, but his mother, Ho Jui-ying, expressed gratitude to supporters and remarked that she was saddened by what she described as Ko being "misjudged" and that "they could not find evidence."
Responding to Ko's previous claim that he had not seen sunlight or another person for a year, the Taipei Detention Center clarified that detainees are provided with light, ventilation, and regular exercise time. They noted that all detainees held incommunicado were isolated to ensure order and safety.
Ko has been detained incommunicado since September 5, 2024, following his indictment in December on charges that include accepting bribes in a property development case during his tenure as Taipei mayor and embezzling political donations during his 2024 presidential campaign. He has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the investigation and his ongoing trial.
In addition to Ko, ten other suspects were indicted, including former Taipei Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng, Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei, Lee Wen-tsung, finance chief of Ko's 2024 election campaign office, and Sheen Ching-jing, founder and chairman of the real estate conglomerate Core Pacific Group. Prosecutors also plan to appeal the release of Ying, who was released on NT$30 million bail on September 5.