Ex-president barred from leaving Taiwan

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

TAIPEI (AFP) — Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian has been barred from leaving the island and his office raided on money-laundering allegations implicating him and his family, officials said Sunday.

The coast guard confirmed that Chen on Saturday had been barred by prosecutors from leaving the territory which he led for eight years.

"We received the order from the special investigation unit around 9:20 pm last night saying former president Chen was barred from leaving the country," Coast Guard Administration spokesman Hsieh Ching-chin told AFP.

The move came after prosecutors separately searched Chen's office and residence in Taipei.

"We took away accounting books and computers which could help with clarifying the case," Chu Chao-liang,...