TAIPEI - A Taiwan court Friday sentenced former president Chen
Shui-bian to life in jail on corruption charges, while also handing
a life term to his wife, a court official said.
Chen, the first former Taiwan leader to be put on trial, was
convicted for embezzling state funds, money laundering and
accepting bribes, the Taipei district court said in a
statement.
Taiwan's former first lady, wheelchair-bound Wu Shu-chen, was
also convicted to life in jail, the court said.
The verdict marks the culmination of a court drama that has
gripped the island of 23 million people for months.
Chen, 58, has criticised the trial as a political vendetta and
revenge for his years in power when he was pursuing independence
from China.
He has said that his Beijing-friendly successor Ma Ying-jeou is
behind the alleged witch-hunt, but Ma has denied the charge.