Wu Shu-chen, the wife of former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian, confessed Tuesday in a Taipei court to some of the crimes she was accused of, and she apologized for her family's actions.
On Tuesday, Wu stood trial in a corruption case involving her husband and other relatives. She told the court she had accepted 200 million New Taiwan dollars (6.66 million U.S. dollars) in political donations, instead of the alleged 300 million New Taiwan dollars.
She also confessed to involvement in counterfeiting documents, but did not confess to embezzling 'confidential fund'. She also confessed to laundering 2.2 million U.S. dollars overseas.
At the end of the hearing, Wu apologized. Wu said she would appear in court whenever summoned, if her health allowed. Wu said she would do as much as possible to cooperate with prosecutors.
Wheelchair-bound Wu was taken into the Taipei District Court soon after she arrived at about 2:10 p.m., through a throng of journalists and to shouts from supporters and protesters outside.
It was her first court appearance since she collapsed at the start of her trial in late 2006 and was excused on health grounds from all court sessions on 17 further occasions.
She and Chen are charged with embezzling 104 million New Taiwan dollars in public funds and accepting bribes of about 9 million U.S. dollars in a land purchase deal.
Chen, who has been detained in a Taipei jail since Nov. 12, was elected leader over eight years ago but lost an election in May last year. He was first indicted by prosecutors on Dec. 12 for money laundering and bribery.
Nine of the 14 defendants in the corruption case linked to Chen have pled guilty to the charges against them.
Three relatives of Chen, including son Chen Chih-chung, daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching and brother-in-law Wu Chin-mao, pled guilty to money laundering on Jan. 21.
(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2009)