Team makes history with former Taiwanese leader's indictment
Eight Taiwanese prosecutors have made history by indicting the former first family, including ex-president Chen Shui-bian, on corruption charges.
Standing in line to pose for news photographers in the basement conference room of the Supreme Court Prosecutors Office in Taipei yesterday, they breathed a sigh of relief after the completion of what has been dubbed the indictment of the century.
The probe into alleged corruption against Chen and his family has been highly sensitive from the start, especially as Chen is the first of the island's presidents to have such charges levelled against him.
Throughout their investigation and write-up of the official indictment, the eight have faced mounting pressure from both Chen's pro-independence camp and politicians from Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou's government.
While the pro-independence camp has been highly critical of the probe, calling it 'political persecution' by the mainland-friendly Ma government, lawmakers in Ma's camp have been equally critical, alleging the prosecutors are on Chen's side and have tried to stall the investigation.
'All the prosecutors have been criticised and scolded constantly,' prosecutor Wu Wen-chung said. 'We go to work in the day and get snubbed at night. Yet we have to face the pressure and achieve our goal in gathering enough evidence to bring up the charges against the guilty parties.'
