Taiwan opposition party head arrested over corruption scandal
The Taiwan People’s Party chairman Ko Wen-je is pictured at Taiwan Taipei District Prosecutor Office on Aug. 31, 2024
The leader of Taiwan’s second-largest opposition party was arrested early Saturday morning for his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal related to a shopping center development project during his tenure as Taipei mayor, his party said.
The Taiwan People’s Party said authorities arrested TPP founder and chairman Ko Wen-je around 2 a.m. after he refused to continue a night-time interrogation by prosecutors. At that point, Ko had been questioned for about 19 hours over the case, which took place when he was mayor between 2014 and 2022.
On Friday, prosecutors searched Ko’s home and the party headquarters as part of their investigation. They suspect the former mayor may have sought unlawful gains for himself or others by illegally increasing the floor area ratio of the shopping centre in downtown Taipei at the request of a developer, local media said.
Ko unsuccessfully ran in the island’s January presidential election. The TPP holds the balance of power in Taiwan’s parliament with both the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the main opposition Nationalist Party failing to secure a majority.
Questioning the legality of the arrest, Ko and his defence lawyer sought a judicial review, but their request was rejected by a Taipei court, the party said.
Ko told reporters on Friday it is the first time in Taiwan’s history that the home and office of a major opposition party leader, as well as a party headquarters, have been searched. He called for authorities to explain what evidence they have to take such action.
The TPP chief reportedly maintains that the increase in the ratio of the shopping mall’s total floor area to the size of the land upon which it was built was decided at a meeting of the Taipei city government.
But investigators believe Ko has not provided sufficient explanation about the city’s sudden approval of the change in the floor area ratio, according to local media reports.
