Taiwan government prosecutors have indicted the wife of President Chen Shui-bian and three presidential aides for corruption. Prosecutors say the president himself could face similar charges at the end of his term.

Wu Shu-chen (file photo)

Taiwan prosecutors say they have evidence first lady Wu Shu-chen and three former presidential aides embezzled more than $400,000 in government diplomatic funds, using false receipts between July 2002 and March 2006.

A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office, Chang Wen-cheng, announced the corruption indictments in Taipei Friday.

Chang says there is also evidence President Chen Shui-bian is involved in the alleged embezzlement but he is immune from criminal charges until his term ends in May 2008.

Mr. Chen has faced repeated protests calling for his resignation since a string of corruption scandals against him and his family emerged early this year. He has repeatedly denied the allegations.

Chen Shui-bian (file photo)

Last month, Mr. Chen survived a second parliamentary vote to oust him for alleged corruption.

His wife was cleared in October of charges that she received vouchers from a Japanese department store in exchange for political favors. But Mr. Chen's son-in-law was indicted in June for insider trading.

After Friday's indictments were announced, opposition Kuomintang party leader Ma Ying-jeou called on the president to resign immediately.