Former Taiwanese presidential candidate and former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je was returned to custody Thursday night, facing accusations of corruption related to a controversial urban redevelopment project, The Associated Press reports.
The move came after a legal panel overturned an earlier order allowing him to return home.
Ko, who heads the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) and garnered support from younger voters seeking an alternative to the established political landscape, is being held incommunicado, unable to contact anyone outside the detention facility. He has the option of appealing the decision on Friday.
The investigation revolves around allegations of illegal favors and payments stemming from the redevelopment of the Core Pacific Center shopping mall. The project, which granted the developer a significant expansion of leasable space, is alleged to have benefited from improper influence and financial arrangements during Ko’s time as mayor (2014-2022).
While Ko maintains his innocence, claiming he had no knowledge of the alleged corruption, evidence suggests he may have been aware of the irregularities and participated in questionable financial dealings. The Taipei District Court cited the substantial amount of funds involved, the gravity of the alleged crimes, and the risk of evidence tampering as justifications for his continued detention.
Despite intense media coverage, the case appears to have minimal impact on Taiwan’s robust democracy and independent legal system. The DPP, which favors continued de-facto independence from China, secured a victory in this year’s election with William Lai Ching-te as the new president. The TPP, while gaining traction among younger voters, won just under 3% of legislative seats.
While accusations of political persecution against the government have been made, President Lai has refrained from commenting on Ko’s case.
Ko faces a maximum of four months in detention while the investigation continues.
