A court in Taipei handed down a 17-year prison sentence Thursday to Ko Wen-je, the city’s former mayor and a recent presidential contender, following his conviction on corruption charges and improper handling of political donations, according to Taiwan’s official Central News Agency.
The 66-year-old politician faced demands from prosecutors for more than 28 years behind bars. Authorities alleged Ko took bribes totaling T$17.1 million (approximately $535,563) connected to a significant real estate project within the city. Additionally, prosecutors claimed he illegally diverted tens of millions in campaign contributions for personal use.
Ko served as Taipei’s mayor for eight years, from 2014 through 2022, before launching an unsuccessful presidential bid that resulted in a third-place finish in 2024’s election. Law enforcement took him into custody in 2024, though he secured bail release in September. Throughout the legal proceedings, Ko has maintained his innocence and argued that investigators are targeting him for political reasons.
The Taiwan People’s Party, which Ko established, saw its current leader Huang Kuo-chang respond to the court decision through a Facebook statement. Writing from the courthouse where he stood beside Ko, Huang declared: “At this moment, we must pull ourselves together even more, because this road ahead is still very, very long. As long as Ko does not give up, we will not give up.”
Beyond the prison term, Ko faces a six-year suspension of his civil rights, preventing him from seeking elected office during that period. However, the Central News Agency noted he retains the right to challenge the verdict through an appeal.
While the TPP holds just eight parliamentary seats, the party typically aligns with the Kuomintang, Taiwan’s primary opposition group. Their combined strength exceeds that of the governing Democratic Progressive Party in the legislature.
This opposition coalition has leveraged their numerical advantage to block government initiatives while advancing their own policy priorities.
Ko built a devoted following among Taiwan’s younger voters by championing concerns like housing affordability challenges. Several of these supporters gathered outside the central Taipei courthouse, demonstrating their belief in his innocence.
