The fate of former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian will be decided on September 11, Taipei District Court announced yesterday.
The court said it would spend two more weeks hearing evidence in the corruption case centred on Chen. The case involves more than 15 people, including his wife Wu Shu-chen, son Chen Chih-chung, daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching and brother-in-law Wu Chin-mao.
Chen Shui-bian, 58, and his wife were charged with embezzling NT$104 million (HK$24.6 million) in special state funds, taking NT$400 million in bribes, money laundering and other offences during his term as president between 2000 and last year.
The court said judges would spend about a month deciding the ex-president's verdict. He could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, court officials said.
Chen Shui-bian has been held at Taipei Detention Centre since December 30, and his trial began on March 26. He has denied all the charges, calling his detention and trial political persecution by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou of the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang.
On Tuesday, the island's High Court rejected an appeal by the ex-president against a ruling extending his detention on the corruption charges. The Taipei District Court last week also rejected his bail application for a third time, saying he might try to flee the island, prompting him to appeal to the High Court.