TAIPEI - THE Taiwan Supreme Court has ordered a rehearing in a case involving the release of secret state documents, giving President Chen Shui-bian new hope in his wife's protracted corruption trial, newspapers said.
The Supreme Court ordered the High Court on Friday to rehear an Oct 22 ruling that left it unclear whether judges should return confidential information to the presidential office, the reports said on Saturday. Mr Chen's defence had filed the initial appeal.
In November 2006, prosecutors indicted first lady Wu Shu-chen and former presidential office aides for corruption involving the use of NT$14.8 million (S$660,000) in special state affairs funds that may be reflected in confidential files.
Dealing the president the worst blow of his administration, prosecutors said at the time they also had enough evidence to charge Mr Chen himself. His office gives him immunity, but his term ends next May.
The president's office has rejected the corruption charges, saying the money in question was put to legitimate government use. Mr Chen has said he would step down early if a trial court found his wife guilty.
Prosecutors, under pressure to root out corruption, have taken on a series of public figures in the past two years, with court verdicts playing a growing role in Taiwan's already acrimonious politics. -- REUTERS
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Taiwan court orders rehearing in first lady graft case 
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