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TAIPEI - Taiwan prosecutors said on Friday they will file corruption charges against the wife of embattled President Chen Shui-bian, the latest blow in a scandal that has led to widespread protests and calls for his ouster.
A spokesman said the prosecutor's office suspected the president was also guilty of wrongdoing, but he was protected from prosecution as long as he was in office.
"The High Court prosecutor has determined that President Chen is involved with the crimes of corruption and faking of documents but this part of the case is subject to guarantees provided under ... the constitution and we must wait until the president is recalled or finishes his term before we can pursue further investigation," said spokesman Chang Wen-cheng.
The High Court will charge Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen, with corruption, faking evidence and faking documents in a case involving the misuse of more than $T14.8 million ($674,000).
"In the end it was determined through receipts of purchases by other people, that Wu Shu-chen -- between July 2002 and March 2006 -- embezzled over $T14.8 million of the secret state funds," Chang told a media briefing.
Wu has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Others that the prosecutor plans to file charges against include Ma Yong-cheng, a former close aide to Chen, according to a statement by the prosecutor's office.
The filing of charges stems from a case involving Chen and those around him, and their possible under-documented use of funds from a special state affairs budget.
The investigations against Chen and Wu, along with an unrelated investigation and charges against their son-in-law, Chao Chien-ming, have weighed on his administration since this spring, leading to a vocal movement calling for Chen's ouster.
Chen's popularity has sunk to new lows since the series of investigations emerged.
In a bid to placate critics, Chen ceded some powers in June to Premier Su Tseng-chang.
- REUTERS
