In a significant development, former Taiwanese presidential candidate and ex-Mayor of Taipei, Ko Wen-je, has been returned to custody as part of a wide-scale corruption investigation. Ko, who was initially allowed to return home, was placed back in detention on Thursday night following a legal panel's decision to overrule the previous order. Currently, he is being held incommunicado, unable to have any contact with the outside world.

The case against Ko revolves around allegations of illegal favors and payments linked to a complex network of business figures and local politicians, which came to light during an urban redevelopment project. This project had the potential to bring substantial profits to investors by circumventing required reviews. Despite his claims of no knowledge or involvement, evidence suggests Ko was aware and may have participated in other questionable financial arrangements.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, Ko has the option to further appeal his detainment on Friday. However, despite the intense media attention surrounding the case, it seems to have little impact on Taiwan's robust democracy and independent legal system.

Ko, who leads the Taiwan People's Party, garnered support in this year's elections from young Taiwanese individuals seeking an alternative to the long-standing two-party system that has dominated Taiwanese politics for the past two decades. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the remaining Nationalist Party, who sought refuge in Taiwan after the Communist Party's rise to power in mainland China in 1949, have traditionally held sway in Taiwan.

In May, Ko and others were implicated in a scandal involving the expansion of the downtown Core Pacific Center shopping center's floor space during his tenure as mayor from 2014 to 2022. While Ko maintains his innocence, the Taipei District Court ruled that it was necessary to detain him given the significant amount of funds involved, the seriousness of the alleged crimes, and the likelihood of him colluding with others to conceal evidence and fabricate testimony. This allows for a potential four-month detention period while the investigation unfolds.

Despite Ko's strong performance in this year's election, securing about a quarter of the vote and drawing considerable support from young people, he has struggled to form alliances with either the Democratic Progressive Party or the Nationalists. This has left him with minimal political allies beyond his own supporters, who have gathered in the hundreds outside the Taipei courthouse to show their solidarity.

While there have been unfounded claims of judicial persecution against the government, President Lai Ching-te, who won the recent election under the Democratic Progressive Party, has refrained from commenting directly on Ko's case. It is worth mentioning that political corruption, once a significant concern for Taiwan's democracy, has seen a decline in prominence thanks to the strengthening power of independent investigators.