Taiwan’s ex-president acquitted of stealing diplomatic funds

TAIPEI - Taiwan’s High Court Tuesday upheld a district court’s ruling that acquitted former president Chen Shui-bian of embezzling $330,000 in diplomatic funds during his two terms in office between 2000 and 2008.

Prosecutors had not provided “substantial evidence” of the alleged crime, a high court spokesman said, the same grounds given for a district court’s acquittal in the same case in June.

Chen was first charged with stealing the funds in 2009.

He is currently serving a prison term of 17 years on separate corruption convictions.

The high court’s spokesman said prosecutors could still appeal to the Supreme Court against the latest ruling.