A court has ordered former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je released without bail for lack of evidence amid a corruption probe. But this may not be the end of his political and legal troubles.
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00:00A crowd erupts into cheers as former Taipei Mayor Ke Wen-je walks free.
00:12It's the second night of a vigil his supporters have kept up outside the Taipei prosecutor's
00:16office where Ke's been held on corruption charges.
00:19At past three in the morning, the court ruled that there's not enough evidence to have Ke
00:22formally detained and ordered his release without the need for bail.
00:27Ke's tearful wife is on the scene, accompanied by members of the Taiwan People's Party, which
00:31Ke founded and stood for as presidential candidate this year.
00:40They've attacked the investigation for going beyond its remit, looking into whether then-Mayor
00:44Ke was part of a quid pro quo deal to help a shopping mall expand its floor space.
00:49They say inspectors took evidence and asked questions that had nothing to do with the
00:53case, hoping to find any dirt they could pin on him.
00:56It's a line of criticism Ke agrees with.
01:15He also tells supporters his version of the story.
01:43Though the court agrees there's not enough evidence to tie Ke to the case, for now, he's
01:46far from off the hook.
01:48His deputy mayor, Peng Zhongshang, has been formally detained as a major suspect.
01:53And this is just one of three scandals that's recently damaged Ke's public image and given
01:57his party a battering in the polls.
02:00It's just the end of the first chapter of what looks to be a long legal battle.
02:04Andy Xue and John Ventriest for Taiwan Plus.