In 2007, Lu, the Secretary-General Yu Shyi-kun and Foreign Minister Mark Chen had been accused of using public money and falsifying receipts. Acquitted due to lack of evidence.Three were DPP members acquitted, the party disliked by the community of businessmen and Beijing. Trial is the result of "a historical flaw" and a "political conflict".

Taipei (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Former vice president Annette Lu (see photo) and two of Chen Shuibian's cabinet members have been declared innocent by the court in Taipei for lack of evidence on charges of corruption and falsification of documents.

Lu, Yu Shyi-kun, secretary general of the then President Chen, and Mark Chen, a former foreign minister, were accused in 2007 of abuse of office and use of public money for personal expenses with false receipts.

Lu was Chen's deputy during 2000-2008 period, the woman to hold the highest public office in Taiwan. Human rights activist and former political prisoner, Lu was briefly DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) candidate in presidential elections this year, but then withdrew.

According to the judgment, Lu and Yu did not manipulate state funds, the expenses incurred by them fell within the established budget ceiling and above the amount both claimed.

From the beginning the DPP - to which the three acquitted belong - said that the charges were "politically motivated" aimed at undermining the presidency of Chen Shuibian, hated by the community of businessmen and Beijing.

Chen Shuibian, also accused of corruption, is serving a sentence of 17 years and six months.

Yesterday, after the judgment, in a ​​public statement, Annette Lu said that hers is a case of "historical flaws" and "political conflict".

 

• Taiwan
• politics
• chen
• Shuiban
• Annette
• Lu
• DPP
• corruption
• charges