President's prison sentenced reduced

Taipei (AP):

Taiwan's Supreme Court has reduced former President Chen Shui-bian's prison sentence from 12 to 11 years in a bribery case and sent three of his other graft convictions back to a lower court for review.

Chen can still appeal the bribery case, connected to a land deal, and the other corruption convictions to the Council of Grand Justices, Taiwan's highest tribunal. Chengoverned from 2000 to 2008.

He was convicted last year of embezzling state funds, accepting bribes and money laundering during his presidency. His original life sentence was reduced to 20 years by an appeals court in June. Last week the Taipei District Court acquitted Chen on another charge, taking a 600 million New Taiwan dollar (US$20 million) bribe not to block two bank mergers.