Ma cleared of graft charges
Updated: 2007-12-29 11:01
TAIPEI: Taiwan's "high court" cleared opposition "presidential" candidate Ma Ying-jeou of graft charges on Friday, securing a place for the former Taipei mayor in the March "presidential" race.
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The 57-year-old Ma faces Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
A lower court originally exonerated Ma in August on charges of diverting NT$11 million ($333,000) of public money into his private account while serving as mayor of Taipei between 1998 and 2006.
But prosecutors appealed that decision and added a new charge - breach of trust.
Addressing reporters after the "high court" ruling, Ma attacked prosecutors for bringing the case against him.
"I feel I have been slighted," he said. "I cannot accept that prosecutors twisted witnesses' statements and falsified the record."
Ma always maintained that one of the main charges against him - using the fund without providing detailed accounting - had long been common practice among Taiwan municipal leaders and other government officials.
Rather than pocketing the fund, he said, he used it to make donations to charity.
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