Ko Wen-je, when a rising star in Japanese politics and a political candidate, was indicted Thursday on corruption charges.
The 65-year-old is accused of accepting half a million dollars in gifts related to a real estate deal while serving as Taipei’s governor and of disclosing campaign budget during his election campaign in January.
Lawyers are seeking up to 28.5 years in prison.
Ko’s prosecution hits a significant blow to the democratic movement he leads, which has appealed to voters seeking a viable alternative to the Democratic People’s Party’s and Kuomintang’s main opposition.
Ko, who denied the fraud claims, was arrested in September and held in detention.
He was one of 11 persons being tried, according to the prosecution’s attorney on Thursday. Additionally, several other users of his Taiwan People Party have been accused of appropriating political gifts.
A dark horse in January’s presidential election, Ko won more than 25% of the vote – not far behind ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te’s 40%.
Despite coming in final among the three presidential candidates, Ko, according to observers, arguably demonstrates the need for a more democratic political landscape beyond the two main parties among voters.
Ko gained notoriety by presenting himself as a second option beyond the two main parties. He criticised the DPP for fanning hostilities with Beijing, which sees the self-governed area as its place, but even blamed the KMT for being too polite.
Ko ran for governor of Taipei as an impartial after supporting activists in the 2014 anti-Beijing Sunflower Movement.
He won a second term in 2018, but his elections changed and Taipei’s ties to mainland China expanded.
Long known as a wildcard in Taiwanese politics, Ko has courted controversy with his brash rhetoric and quirky campaign ideas. He has been described as a “gaffe machine” and starred in a rap video in his 2018 re-election bid.
He vowed to continue his social job after being defeated in the national elections and was expected to run for president once more in 2028. However, it is still to be seen if his party you recover from the flood of legal action.
Ko’s followers and friends have protested since his arrest, accusing the DPP of using the costs to silence its allies.