The former mayor of Ko Wenje faces prison on corruption charges

Wenjie, once a rising star in Taiwanese politics and a presidential contender, was indicted Thursday on corruption charges.

The 65-year-old is accused of accepting half a million dollars in bribes for real estate deals during his tenure as mayor of Taipei, and of misreporting campaign finance during his presidential campaign in January.

The prosecutor’s office is demanding up to 28.5 years of imprisonment.

Ko’s indictment deals a blow to the political movements he represents, which have struck a chord with voters seeking an alternative to the ruling Democratic People’s Party and the main opposition Kuomintang party.

Ko, who has denied corruption charges, was arrested in September and remanded in custody.

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

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

Observers said at the time that even though Koh finished last among the three presidential contenders, his strong showing indicated voter demand for a more pluralistic political landscape beyond the two major parties.

Ko gained notoriety by declaring himself the third choice of the two major parties. He criticized the DPP for stoking tensions with Beijing, which regards the self-ruled island as its territory, but also accused the Kuomintang of being too deferential.

After supporting protesters during the 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 have changed and he expanded Taipei’s relationship with mainland China.

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

After losing the presidential election, he vowed not to give up his political career and is expected to run for president again in 2028. But it remains to be seen whether his party will be able to recover from the wave of prosecution.

Ko’s arrest sparked protests from his allies and supporters, who accused the PPP of using the charges to suppress their opponents.