Former mayor Ko Wen-je faces prison on corruption charges

Ko Wen-je, once a rising star in Taiwanese politics and presidential candidate, was indicted on corruption charges Thursday.

The 65-year-old is accused of accepting half a million dollars in bribes related to a real estate deal during his tenure as mayor of Taipei, as well as misreporting campaign finances during his presidential bid in January.

Prosecutors are asking for up to 28.5 years in prison.

Ko’s accusation deals a crucial blow to the political movement he represents, which has struck a chord with voters seeking an alternative to the ruling People’s Democratic Party and the main opposition Kuomintang.

Ko, who denied the corruption allegations, was arrested in September and detained.

Prosecutors said Thursday that he was among 11 people being prosecuted. Several other members of his Taiwan People’s Party have also been accused of misappropriating political donations.

A dark horse in the January presidential electionsKo won more than 25% of the vote, not far from ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te’s 40%.

Observers said at the time that although Ko came last among the three presidential hopefuls, his sizeable showing pointed to voters’ demand for a more pluralistic political landscape beyond the two main parties.

Ko rose to prominence by branding himself as a third option beyond the two main parties. He criticized the DPP for stoking tensions with Beijing, which views the autonomous island as its territory, but also blamed the KMT for being too deferential.

After supporting protesters during the anti-Beijing Sunflower Movement in 2014, Ko was elected mayor of Taipei as an independent candidate.

He won a second term in 2018, but his policies appeared to change and he expanded Taipei’s relationship with mainland China.

Long known as a wild card in Taiwanese politicsKo has generated controversy with his brash rhetoric and outlandish campaign ideas. He has been described as a “gaffe machine” and starred in a rap video in his 2018 re-election bid.

Following his defeat in the presidential election, he vowed not to give up his political career and was expected to seek the presidency again in 2028. But it remains to be seen whether his party will be able to recover from the wave of prosecutions.

Ko’s arrest sparked protests from his allies and supporters, who accused the DPP of using the charges to repress its opponents.