TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taipei District Court ruled in a retrial that former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) cannot be prosecuted for money laundering because the statute of limitations has passed. 

On Thursday, it reiterated its May ruling that Chen could no longer be prosecuted as the 10-year statute of limitations for his crime had expired, per CNA. Prosecutors appealed, and the Taiwan High Court sent the case back to the lower court.

After serving as president from 2000-2008, Chen was sentenced to 20 years in prison for corruption scandals. He was released in 2015 on medical parole.

The retrial involved a separate case involving money laundering exposed during Chen’s initial trial for corruption charges. The case found Chen and his wife Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍) guilty of accepting NT$10 million (US$303,567) in bribes to appoint Diana Chen (陳敏薰) as Taipei 101 chair. They were both sentenced to eight years in prison. 

During the separate money laundering investigation, Chen could not appear in court for medical reasons. The trial was suspended in May 2015.