WONG CHI-HUEY PROTESTS INNOCENCE, DEMANDS LIFT OF TRAVEL BAN|浩鼎案起訴後首開庭 翁啟惠堅稱無罪

Former Academia Sinica President Wong Chi-huey appeared in court for the first time on corruption and insider trading charges. He is accused of using his daughter's name to receive 3,000 shares in OBI Pharma from its Chair, Michael Chang. Wong is currently banned from travel, but he asked for the ban to be lifted so he can participate in international meetings. Wong said if he missed them, it would be a loss for Taiwan. On Feb. 15, former Academia Sinica President Wong Chi-huey, removed from his post for corruption and insider trading, appeared in court for the first time. He was accompanied by his lawyer. He was adamant that he was innocent. He accused the prosecution of having no evidence and recklessly damaging his reputation. ==WONG CHI-HUEY former Academia Sinica President== I absolutely did not do anything illegal and never considered it. When I saw the charge sheet I was very surprised and angry. Wong is accused of using his daughter's name to receive 3,000 shares from OBI Pharma as payment for technology transfer. However, he refuted this with three points. He says the transfer of Academia Sinica technology is decided by the AS Vice President and not himself as President. The prosecution alleges that emails confirm that Wong and Michael Chang had an agreement on the Obi Pharma shares, however, the substantive content of the email did not discuss Obi Pharma shares. Further, Wong says the 3,000 shares were bought with his own money. Having laid out all the reasons he was innocent, Wong asked the prosecutor to lift the travel ban. ==WONG CHI-HUEY former Academia Sinica President== I can't even defend my own innocence, let alone escape. Even if I wanted to do that, academic and technology experts the world over all know me, it would be like professional suicide. I wouldn't be able to hide anywhere. Wong emphasized that his being prevented from travel and thus unable to take part in international meetings was Taiwan's loss. However, the prosecution say that Wong has considerable wealth in the US and has dual US-Taiwan nationality, so the probability of him absconding is high. It requested a continuation of the travel ban. It remains to be seen how the judge will rule. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 前中研院長翁啟惠被指控，利用女兒當人頭，收受浩鼎公司董事長張念慈3千張股票涉嫌貪汙，針對翁啟惠遭限制出境的部份，今天首度開庭，翁啟惠提出三大論點，否認所有犯行，並且強調自己被境管，無法參加國際會議，等同是台灣的損失。 卸下中研院長職務的翁啟惠，因為捲入浩鼎弊案，成為貪汙被告，法院今天首度開庭，翁啟惠在律師團陪同下，有備而來，堅稱自己無罪，更批評檢方沒有證據，輕率起訴，讓他名譽受損。 ==前中研院長 翁啟惠== 絕對沒有做任何不法的事情 也從來沒有這個念頭 我看了起訴書之後 感到非常震驚跟憤怒 翁啟惠是被指控，利用女兒當人頭，收受浩鼎3千張股票，做為技術轉移的對價報酬，不過，翁啟惠提出三大論點，辯稱中研院技術移轉，是由副院長做決策，絕非院長能左右，至於，檢方以一封電子郵件，認定翁啟惠和張念慈有以浩鼎股票做期約賄賂，但信的實質內容，根本沒有討論浩鼎股票，另外，被檢方質疑收賄的三千張浩鼎股票，翁啟惠則說，是自己花錢認購，一一列出理由，翁啟惠要證明自己沒有罪，向法官爭取解除限制出境。 ==前中研院長 翁啟惠== 捍衛自己的清白 都來不及了 怎麼會逃亡呢 假如我有這種念頭的話 因為我在全世界的學術界都知道我 這等於是自殺的一種行為 在全世界幾乎沒有辦法容身 翁啟惠強調，自己遭到境管，無法參加國際會議，將是台灣的損失，不過檢方認為，翁啟惠在美國有相當多資產，也有雙重國籍，逃亡可能性高，要求繼續限制他離開台灣，檢辯雙方針對翁啟惠的罪嫌認定，各有立場，就看法官如何裁決。 蔡慧玲 邱福財 台北報導