Ke Wenzhe’s Beijing-related case and political donation case, the second-instance High Court held for the first time

Ke Wenzhe arrived at the High Court at 2:50 and walked into the court with his wife Chen Peiqi with a smile on his face without stopping to be interviewed. (Photo by reporter Wang Yisong)

Former Taipei Mayor Ke Wenzhe was involved in the Beijing City bribery case and the embezzlement of political donations for public welfare. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison in the first instance. The High Court of the second instance held its first hearing at 3 pm today for preparatory procedures. Four people including Ke Wenzhe, Chairman of the Public Hope Foundation Li Wenzong, the head of Muke Public Relations Company Li Wenjuan, and accountant Duan Muzheng were summoned to the court. Ke Wenzhe arrived at the High Court at 2:50 and walked into the court with his wife Chen Peiqi with a smile on his face without stopping to be interviewed.

The Kuomintang Party and dozens of supporters gathered at the gate of the High Court at about 1 p.m., and lined up on both sides of the sidewalk near the Taipei District Court to welcome Ko Wenzhe. They arranged for Ko Wenzhe to enter the venue on time at 2:50. The supporters shouted, "Ke Wenzhe is clean, come on, Ke P." Little did he know that many courts on the second and third floors of the High Court were in session, and the shouts could be heard clearly.

Ke Wenzhe was involved in four major cases including the bribery and profit-seeking case in Jinghua City, public welfare misappropriation of political donations from the Kuomintang (Xie Guoliang’s mother and three other people transferred 6 million yuan in cash), public welfare misappropriation of political donations from the presidential election special account (Muke case), and breach of trust and misappropriation of funds from the Public Hope Foundation. The collegial bench of the People's Court of China decided to "transition from simplicity to complexity" and the first court today summoned Ke Wenzhe, Li Wenzong, Li Wenjuan, and Duan Muzheng, who made a false declaration to the prison for forgery of documents. The brother and sister Ke and Li Wenzong were involved in the Mu Ke public welfare embezzlement case and the Zhongwang Foundation breach of trust case.

The preparatory process will be carried out today. As usual, the appointed judge will conduct the trial alone. He will first ask the defendant, prosecutor and defense the reasons for the appeal and the direction of the defense. If there is time, they will sort out the disputes, opinions on the ability of the evidence, and the scope of the investigation of the requested evidence.

People's Party supporters lined up on both sides of the sidewalk near the Taipei District Court to greet Ko Wenzhe. (Photo by reporter Wang Yisong)