TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇) was arrested on Tuesday (Aug. 27) and questioned about her role in a case involving former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) and the Core Pacific City shopping mall. 

As part of the Taipei District Prosecutors Office's investigation, Ying was questioned on Wednesday, per CNA. Investigators also conducted 48 other searches and questioned Core Pacific Group Chair Shen Ching-ching (沈慶京), among others. On Thursday prosecutors applied to detain Ying and Shen and denied them visitation rights.

Six defendants — Shen, Ying, Core Pacific City Chair Chen Yu-kun (陳玉坤), Wang Tsun-kan (王尊侃), Wu Shun-min (吳順民), and Chen Chia-min (陳佳敏) — as well as 12 witnesses, were summoned and transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office for further questioning Wednesday evening.

Chen Yu-kun was released on NT$12 million (US$375,000) bail, Ying's office executive director Wang for NT$5 million, Ying's assistant Chen Chia-min for NT$2 million, and assistant Wu was detained and denied visitation.

The floor area ratio of Core Pacific City increased from 392% to 840% during Ko's tenure as mayor. In May, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office opened an investigation, naming Ko and others as defendants and directing the Agency Against Corruption (AAC) to gather evidence. 

Authorities questioned former Deputy Mayor Peng Cheng-sheng (彭振聲), Taipei City Government officials, and Taipei Urban Planning Commission members.

The investigation revealed suspected bribery between Core Pacific City and Ying, who was allegedly the contact person between Ko and the mall. It was also discovered that Ying attempted to fly to Hong Kong on Tuesday evening, prompting prosecutors to instruct the AAC to detain Ying.