Taiwan's Superior Court on Wednesday rejected former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian's appeal to the Taipei District Court, which had ruled that he must remain in jail.

Under Taiwan's criminal law, Chen can't appeal further, a legal expert in Taiwan said.

To expedite the procedure, the three superior court judges worked extra hours to go over the relevant materials and handed down a verdict on Wednesday at noon.

On Tuesday, the Taipei District Court rejected Chen's appeal to withdraw the judge for his case.

Chen was returned to prison on corruption charges following a verdict by the Taipei District Court on Dec. 30. But the verdict allowed him to meet his lawyer and family.

Chen and his wife were charged with embezzling 104 million New Taiwan dollars (US$3.15 million) in public funds and accepting bribes of about US$9 million in a land purchase deal.

Chen was first indicted by prosecutors on Dec. 12 for money laundering and taking bribes during his eight years in office, which ended in May. Chen had been in custody for investigation since Nov. 12.

The district court decided to release him without bail on Dec. 13 but banned him from leaving the island. Prosecutors appealed his release on Dec. 16, and the high court's first ruling followed on Dec. 17.

The second appeal was made last Thursday after the district court again released Chen without bail on Dec. 18.

The district court appointed Tsai Shou-hsum to the case. He is also the presiding judge in the corruption case against Chen's wife.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2009)