TAIPEI: A Taiwanese court has suspended the trial of former president Chen Shui-bian on the ground that he is suffering from depression, dementia and other health problems, officials said yesterday.
Chen, who is already serving a 20-year jail term for corruption, has been on trial since last year for allegedly taking illegal possession of confidential documents while he was in office.
However, Taipei district court said it had decided to suspend the proceedings after a medical team found that the ailing Chen was unfit to stand trial.
“The defendant suffers from language impairment, minor dementia, severe depression and is suicidal ... he obviously lacks the capabilities to stand trial and cannot attend court due to his illness,” it said in a statement.
19 sick in China from yoghurt
BEIJING: Nineteen primary schoolchildren in China have been hospitalised after drinking yoghurt said to be laced with rat poison and herbicide, the Xinhua state news said.
A 34-year-old woman from Loudi city in the central province of Hunan confessed to poisoning the yoghurt drink before delivering to the students, Xinhua said yesterday. It said the woman was suspected to be suffering from a mental disorder. Three children were in serious condition but their lives were not in danger, Xinhua said. Investigations were going on.
There have been several attacks on schools in China in recent years while at the same time, food safety has become a contentious issue with a rising number of food-poisoning cases due in part to lax safety standards at small factories.
Agencies
