Case Files for Core Pacific City and Others Delivered to High Court for Appeal

Central News Agency reporter Xie Junlin (Taipei, 25th) Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the first instance for corruption. Ko and six other defendants have appealed, and the Taipei District Prosecutors Office has also appealed regarding the sentencing of nine individuals. After collecting the appeal files, the Taipei District Court delivered the case files, which filled three carts, to the High Court this morning, awaiting assignment for trial. It is understood that the investigation and trial files for the Core Pacific City and Ko Wen-je political donation cases total 350 volumes. Since the Taipei District Court is not far from the Taiwan High Court, the District Court dispatched eight administrative staff members this morning to transport the files using three carts to the High Court's case reception office. The High Court will handle the case according to internal assignment regulations. The Taipei District Court ruled on the four major cases involving Core Pacific City and Ko Wen-je's political donations on March 26 this year. Among the 11 defendants, 9 were found guilty, including Ko Wen-je (17 years), KMT Taipei City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (15 years and 6 months), and Core Pacific Group Chairman Shen Ching-ching (10 years). The remaining six were sentenced to terms ranging from 1 year to 6 years and 6 months. Former Deputy Mayor Peng Chen-sheng was sentenced to 2 years with 3 years probation, and former Urban Planning Commission Executive Secretary Shao Hsiu-pei was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months with 3 years probation. Both the prosecution and the two individuals did not appeal, making their sentences final. The prosecution believes the original judgment failed to consider the fact that Shen Ching-ching bribed Ko Wen-je with NT$15 million, leading to an overly lenient sentence, and appealed against the 9 defendants on April 30. In addition, other defendants, including former Urban Development Bureau Director Huang Ching-mao, former Ko office director Li Wen-tsung, former Muko PR company head Li Wen-chuan, and accountant Tuanmu Cheng, have also filed appeals.