Former presidential hopeful Ko Wen-je has walked free on bail again after posting a revised sum of over US$2.1 million. The founder of the Taiwan People's Party has been indicted for corruption, profiteering and embezzlement, and faces a potential sentence of decades in prison.
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00:00Former Taipei Mayor Kou Wenzhe walks out on bail again, his supporters crowding around
00:07him as he left the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office with his wife Chen Peiqi by his side.
00:15Earlier Chen paid the additional US$1.2 million bail mandated by the high court to secure
00:23her husband's freedom for a while longer.
00:26Days ago, the one-time presidential hopeful was released from close to four months in
00:31custody, indicted for corruption and embezzling political funds from when he was mayor of
00:38Taiwan's capital.
00:39He was first granted bail at around US$900,000, the high court revising this to US$2.1 million
00:48after prosecutors argued Kou may flee or collude with accomplices or witnesses.
00:54Members of Kou's Taiwan People's Party, or TPP, who believe their leader is being politically
01:00targeted by the ruling party, scrambled to front some of the additional money for Kou.
01:16The doctor-turned-politician will now be required to wear a tracker during his release and report
01:23daily to local authorities by phone.
01:26Amid the scandal, Kou has offered to resign as TPP leader, despite founding this third
01:32political force that has challenged the country's long-standing two-party system.
01:38Back in January, Kou won over a quarter of the presidential vote.
01:42Though ultimately losing top office, his party won the role of kingmaker in a legislature
01:48with no majority party.
01:50Things have changed dramatically since then.
01:53Kou is facing a potential sentence of 28 and a half years behind bars.
01:59But his party has remained by his side, defending his innocence until proven guilty.
02:05Andy Hsueh and Joyce Zen for Taiwan Plus.