TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) appeared Monday (Sept. 15) for his fourth custody hearing at the Taipei District Court (台北地方法院), facing accusations from prosecutors of violating bail conditions. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office (北檢) alleged that Ko contacted witnesses involved in his ongoing legal case, potentially breaching the terms of his release. Ko's legal team requested that the court provide a specific list of witnesses he must avoid, arguing that current restrictions severely infringe upon his fundamental freedoms.
Ko, detained since September 2024, expressed deep frustration with the prolonged legal proceedings during the hearing. He compared his detention experience to living on a deserted island, completely separated from reality, and expressed his desire to emulate Nelson Mandela rather than Wu Zixu, a Chinese politician betrayed and cast aside by his nation. His defense attorney emphasized that the NT$70 million (around US$2.3 million) bail represents a significant financial burden and urged the court to maintain the original bail terms.
Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) sharply criticized the actions of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office and the Office of the President (總統府), suggesting they are deliberately aiming to detain Ko again. Huang stated that Ko once said he did not like hating people, but would feel profound sadness whenever he thought about this case and about his late father.
The High Court (高等法院) withdrew a previous ruling, citing significant ambiguity in the restrictions regarding Ko's contact with co-defendants and witnesses, and called for a comprehensive reassessment of these conditions. The court's decision remains pending despite the ongoing hearings, leaving Ko's potential re-detention in legal limbo. This uncertainty continues to cast a shadow over the former Taipei mayor's political future and legal standing. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$30.300)
>>> Legal proceedings discussed in this article remain ongoing; all individuals mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
