Ko Wen-je attends second instance hearing for political donations case

The second instance trial for former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je has commenced at the Taiwan High Court, beginning with preparatory proceedings regarding his political donations case. Ko, who was sentenced to 17 years in the first instance, appeared in court accompanied by his wife, Chen Pei-chi.

During the hearing, Ko denied all charges, including the alleged misappropriation of political donations. He criticized the prosecution, claiming they are “shooting first and then drawing the target” by fabricating evidence from seized USB drives and search warrants. Ko also requested that the court proceedings be live-streamed to ensure judicial transparency and accountability to the public.

The prosecution is appealing the first instance ruling, seeking to overturn acquittals and increase sentences for those found guilty. Specifically, prosecutors argue that certain payments made to a consultant should be classified as commercial transactions rather than legitimate political expenses, constituting misappropriation.

Other defendants present included Lee Wen-tsung, Lee Wen-chuan, and accountant Duan Mu-zheng. The court has scheduled further hearings for the political donations case in November, with proceedings regarding the Jinghua City land rezoning and bribery cases expected to follow in November and December.