Jail for Chen's family

Source: Xinhua  |   2009-9-2  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

WU Shu-chen, the wife of former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian, was yesterday jailed for a year for perjury by Taipei district court.

Chen's son Chen Chih-chung, daughter Chen Hsing-yu and son-in-law Chao Chien-ming were each sentenced to six months.

The court will deliver a verdict on Chen Shui-bian's graft case on September 11.

Wu was charged with instigating her children to falsely state their accounts for personal consumption as part of her and her husband's official expenses.

Chen's son, daughter and son-in-law were summoned to testify after prosecutors found Wu had collected their bills to apply for reimbursement from public funds.

But they committed perjury as they had been instructed by Wu. The four have the right to appeal the decision.

Chen Shui-bian was first indicted on December12 on money-laundering and bribery charges.

He and Wu were charged with embezzling US$3.15-million public funds and accepting bribes of at least US$9 million.