TAIPEI: The daughter of former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian, Chen Hsing-yu, has been ordered by the court to stay home until she faces trial on perjury charges that arose from the corruption case against her father.

The Taipei District Court rejected the daughter's appeal against the travel ban imposed on her in June by the same court.

Prosecutor general Chen Hsing-bang said if Chen Hsing-yu needed to go abroad on matters that were essential, she could file another petition to have the travel ban lifted.

Chen Hsing-yu was indicted on the perjury counts on July 17.

Also indicted in the case were her husband Chao Chien-ming and her younger brother Chen Chih-chung.

Her mother, Wu Shu-jen, was also charged with coercing her children to give false testimony in the corruption case against the former Taiwan leader.

Prosecutors of the Special Investigation Division of the Supreme Prosecutors Office found inconsistencies in the testimony given in May by Chen Chih-chung, Chen Hsing-yu and Chao Chien-ming in their probe into Chen Shui-bian's alleged misuse of public funds during his term in office from 2000 through May 2008.

The indictment said the three lied to prosecutors when they claimed that the receipts they provided to Wu to claim reimbursement from the "president's special state affairs fund" were for gifts they bought for their parents.

Despite the indictment, prosecutors from the Taipei District Prosecutors Office have asked the court to treat them leniently because they admitted their offenses during the probe in connection with perjury.

Wu also confessed that she urged her children to give false testimony to cover up her offenses.

Wu was indicted on bribery and embezzlement charges in November 2006 in a separate case, but prosecutors have not sought to detain her.

Chen Shui-bian has been detained since last December on charges of corruption, money laundering and embezzlement - crimes he is accused of committing during his terms. Chen has insisted on his innocence, arguing history will clear his name.

The court is scheduled to hand down a ruling on his case on September 11.

(HK Edition 08/04/2009 page2)