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High Court revokes bail decision on Tseng Wen-tsan
The High Court has revoked a decision by the Taoyuan District Court to release former Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan on bail of NT$5 million.
Cheng was released on bail Saturday after being questioned by the Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office in connection with an investigation into corruption while he served as Taoyuan mayor. The High Court has ordered another bail hearing because of what it is describing as several unanswered questions left by the district court in allowing bail.
Those questions include why the lower court failed to explain its reasons for releasing Cheng and its ignoring the possibility that the former vice premier could collude with accomplices or witnesses on their testimony and tamper with evidence.
Cheng was summoned by prosecutors last Friday as part of an investigation into alleged corruption involving a land zoning deal. Prosecutors have said Cheng took a NT$5 million payment related to a developer's plans to expand the Hwa Ya Technology Park in Linkou in 2017.
However, the district court, when granting him bail, argued that he returned the money the following year and there was no evidence supporting charges that Cheng concealed illegal proceeds. The Taoyuan District Court has scheduled a new bail hearing for 10:00 this morning.
Tseng has already stepped down from his post as Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) chairman. The foundation said Cheng resigned to "avoid disrupting" the organization' operations and "will fight to clear his name through the judicial process."
Cheng was appointed chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation in May by President Lai Ching-te. Before he became SEF chairman, Cheng served as Taiwan's vice premier and before that he was Mayor of Taoyuan from 2014 to 2022.
