TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) faced a crucial detention hearing Thursday (Sept. 4) as the Taipei District Court (台北地方法院), a major judicial institution, questioned him and Kuomintang, Taiwan's main opposition party, City Councilor Ying Hsiao-wei (應曉薇) regarding their continued custody in the Core Pacific City (京華城) volume fraud case. Ko's wife, Chen Pei-chi (陳佩琪), waited anxiously outside the courthouse and wept upon seeing her husband arrive under heavy security.
Ko has been in custody since Thursday (Sept. 5), 2024, marking nearly a year of detention in the high-profile corruption case. Authorities briefly released him on bail for six days after his indictment before returning him to custody. Ying faced arrest Aug. 27, 2024, and similarly received a six-day bail period post-indictment. Ko's legal team argued during the detention hearing that all key witnesses had been questioned and requested immediate bail for their client.
However, the presiding judge noted that the necessity for detention might not have dissipated, suggesting Ko might not need to remain in custody until a verdict is reached. Ko is currently serving his fourth detention period, which spans from Aug. 2 to Oct. 1, 2025. The judge faces a critical deadline and must decide by Oct. 1 whether to continue detaining the former mayor or release him pending trial. ◼
