Chen 1announced
Sunday that he will 9step
down if his wife Wu Shu-jhen
10is
found guilty11in
the first instance. Legal
2experts12point
out however that there
13are
likely to be a large number
of 3witness
and the case deals with a number of 4complicating
factors, such as the head of state and covert
5diplomatic
funds. With court rules 6stipulating
that a first ruling must be handed down within
16 months, it may take until March 2008 for
the court to come to its first verdict. By
that time, President Chen will only have two
months left of his 7term,
leaving the president open to criticism that
his latest move is little more than a delaying
8tactic.