The China Post news staff
He was indicted on Sept. 22 for misusing expense accounts while he was presidential secretary-general and premier and claiming unlawfully at least NT$2.4 million (US$74,000).
Facing Liu Fang-tzu, presiding judge at the Taipei district court, Yu denied all charges of corruption, saying he has never been corrupt in more than 20 years of his public service. "Was there any mention of my name in any government scandal?" Yu asked the judge.
Yu said he did nothing wrong and merely did exactly the same way as 6,500 other high public office holders, including Ma Ying-jeou, the Kuomintang presidential candidate who is standing trial on similar charges of misuse while he was mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006.
Also present at the hearing were Mrs. Yu and three of his former aides who were indicted for abetting the ex-premier. They all pleaded innocent. Mrs. Yu was charged with borrowing invoices and receipts from friends and relatives to claim reimbursements from her husband's expense account.
Before entering the courtroom, Yu told the press it's "a grave personal insult" to be tried for corruption. "I take pride in my integrity," he said, adding: "I hope the court will clear my name."
He also urged the Special Counsel to investigate how such top Kuomintang leaders as Lien Chan, Vincent Siew, and General Hau Pei-tsun used their expense accounts.
All three served as premier. Lien is honorary chairman of the Kuomintang. Siew is Ma's running mate. The retired general is the father of Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin.
The district court started trying Vice President Annette Lu for corruption on last Monday. She was indicted along with Chen Tan Sun on the same day as Yu, his wife and the three assistants.
Lu categorically denied the allegations at her first trial. Chen, secretary-general of the National Security Council, was accused of misusing his expense account while he was foreign minister.
All DPP officials were indicted by Special Counsel prosecutor Hou Kuan-jen, who had also prosecuted Ma Ying-jeou.