TAOYUAN (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Taoyuan District Court (桃園地方法院) on Wednesday (Aug. 28) granted bail to former Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) for NT$28 million, restricting his residence and travel for eight months. Authorities had detained Cheng for 47 days while investigating corruption allegations.
Prosecutors discovered NT$678,500 in cash hidden in a secret cabinet in Cheng's Taipei residence and nearly NT$880,000 at his assistant's home. They are probing Cheng for property crimes of unknown origin and whether he violated the Political Donations Act (政治獻金法) by accepting and returning NT$6 million in political donations.
Chiou Jiunn-yann (邱駿彥), head of the Democratic Progressive Party's anti-corruption committee, stated that the party suspended Cheng for three years following his detention. Chiou added that if the court finds Cheng guilty in the first trial, the committee will reconvene to decide whether to expel him.
Prosecutors summoned Cheng on July 5, shocking the political scene. After three legal confrontations, the court ruled on July 11 to detain Cheng, citing his substantial influence and potential to tamper with evidence. Cheng's indictment on Tuesday concluded his 47-day detention.
