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TAIPEI - Prosecutors in Taiwan on Tuesday sought formal approval to detain former president Chen Shui-bian in connection with a corruption probe, officials said.
Chen is accused of money laundering, embezzling government funds, taking bribes and forging documents, a spokesman for the investigation said, adding that the charges carry a minimum five-year jail term.
A defiant Chen put his handcuffed hands in the air as he stepped out of the prosecutor's office and shouted "political persecution" before getting into a waiting car.
The former president was earlier questioned by prosecutors investigating a money-laundering scandal involving both him and his wife.
"Chen has been arrested and we are seeking approval of the Taipei district court to (formally) detain him," an investigation spokesman told AFP.
If the prosecutors' demand is met, Chen would become the first former Taiwanese president to be formally detained, following a graft scandal that has gripped the island for months.
The former leader, who retired in May after eight years in power, is under investigation for allegedly embezzling 14.8 million Taiwan dollars (480,500 US) from the government.
Under questioning Tuesday, Chen chose not to answer some questions, while dozens of supporters protested outside the investigators' office.
Chen earlier accused the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) government of persecuting him under pressure from Beijing, which considers Taiwan a renegade province that should be reunified with China, by force if necessary.
"The KMT and the Chinese Communist Party see me as their number one prisoner as I am the biggest stone blocking their way to reunification," pro-independence Chen told reporters.
He accused his successor, Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou, of pursuing a political agenda and punishing him for violent demonstrations during a visit by Beijing's top envoy to the island last week.
The Chinese envoy, "Chen Yunlin, had a bad time in Taiwan... so Ma Ying-jeou wants to put me in jail as a sacrifice to appease China. I am very honoured and proud to play such a role," the former president said.
The envoy's historic visit to Taipei was billed as bringing China and Taiwan closer economically, but was marred by huge anti-Beijing protests that left scores injured.
Chen's opposition Democratic Progressive Party immediately cried foul after Tuesday's arrest, saying it was politically motivated.
"This political manipulation is aimed at destroying the DPP and insulting a former leader by handcuffing him. We assure the public that the DPP will not be defeated," said lawmaker Lee Chun-yee.
Kuomintang lawmaker Lee Ching-hua hailed the move as "belated justice."
The former president has previously admitted using false receipts to claim money from the state, but insisted those funds were used for "secret diplomatic missions" -- not his personal benefit.
The ex-leader, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and brother-in-law have all been named as defendants in a separate money laundering case.
Taiwanese prosecutors say 21 million US dollars was sent to Swiss bank accounts belonging to Chen's daughter-in-law in 2007. The funds have since been frozen.
Chen has admitted his wife wired 20 million US dollars abroad from past campaign funds but said she did so without his knowledge. He denies laundering money.
- AFP /ls
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