High Court's "Vague Arguments" Lead to Rejection of Constitutional Interpretation Request in Ko Wen-je Case; Corruption Trial Continues

The legal battle surrounding Hsinchu City Mayor Ko Wen-je takes another turn as the Supreme Court's constitutional challenge is dismissed, pushing the corruption case forward.

The case involving Hsinchu City Mayor Ko Wen-je, accused of using her position to defraud and falsify public records, continues to unfold. The Taipei District Court initially sentenced her to 7 years and 4 months in prison, stripping her of her civil rights for 4 years, leading to her suspension from office. The case, having been appealed, saw the Taiwan High Court attempt a constitutional interpretation based on Article 32, Paragraph 1 of the Legislative Yuan Organization Act, alleging its unconstitutionality.

However, the Constitutional Court ruled on February 7th, declining to accept the interpretation request. The High Court is now obligated to continue its proceedings. The High Court is scheduled to resume preparatory procedures at 9:30 AM today.

In its handling of the Ko Wen-je case, the High Court's panel of judges believed that Article 32, Paragraph 1 of the Legislative Yuan Organization Act did not align with the intent of providing institutional safeguards for public officials. They argued that it threatened the stability of democratically elected officials, thereby undermining the spirit of constitutional democracy. On January 2nd, the High Court petitioned the Constitutional Court to declare the law unconstitutional. However, the second review panel of the Constitutional Court, citing the High Court's "vague arguments," unanimously decided to reject the request.