TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taiwan High Court on Wednesday (Sept. 4) decided to revoke the decision to free former Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) without bail, sending the issue back to a lower court.

Early Monday (Sept. 2), a court ruled against a prosecutors’ request to keep Ko detained incommunicado in connection with the Core Pacific City corruption case. The court decided to release Ko without him having to pay bail.

However, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday (Sept. 3) cited additional evidence against the former mayor to request the High Court to revoke the decision to free him. On Wednesday afternoon, the High Court announced it agreed with the prosecutors’ request, sending the issue back to the Taipei District Court for a fresh review of whether Ko should be detained or not, per CNA.

Ko has been investigated over a land development case, with the developer of the Core Pacific City complex suspected of having paid bribes to influence the Taipei City Government to approve a drastic increase of the floor area ratio of the project. The changes were approved by the city government during Ko’s period as mayor between 2014 and 2022.

Former Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) was one of several suspects kept detained in the case. The list included the chair of Core Pacific Group, who was suspected of having paid bribes, a member of the Taipei City Council accused of acting as an intermediary to help the company obtain the floor area ratio change, and city government officials.