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Family of former Taiwan leader sentenced

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-02 11:13

TAIPEI: Four family members of former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian were sentenced on corruption charges Tuesday, but Chen himself is not scheduled to be sentenced until next week.

The Taipei District Court sentenced ex-first lady Wu Shu-chen to one year in prison. Three other family members were given reduced sentences because they admitted their wrongdoing.

Wu was imprisoned for giving false testimony and inciting others to commit crimes, because she asked her daughter Chen Hsing-yu, son-in-law Wang Chien-ming and son Chen Chih-chung to use receipts for personal expenditures to claim reimbursements from state funds.

The three were each given a six-month jail term.

The four can appeal the ruling.

This is the first sentencing in the Chen family corruption scandal.

Chen and his wife were charged with embezzling $2.97 million in state funds and accepting $14 million in bribes.

Related readings:  Chen trial ends: verdict to come in September  Chen's daughter loses tax appeal  Chen will stay behind bars during rest of trial  Judgment reserved in Chen tax appeal

They were also charged with money laundering, influence peddling, extortion and document forgery during his two terms.

He has denied the charges, saying that his detention and trial is political persecution by the administration of current Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou from the Kuomintang.

The Taipei District Court is scheduled to announce the sentencing for Chen on Sept 11.

If convicted, Chen could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

In another development, the Dalai Lama met with DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen and Chen Ju, mayor of Kaohsiung, for half an hour Tuesday morning, DPP spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang said.

China Daily-agencies