A prosecutor who was ordered to investigate the Lafayette frigate scandal in Switzerland returned home Tuesday with important information that might help unravel the kickback mystery, the Chinese-language media reported.

Sources said that prosecutor Lo Jung-chien collected evidence related to the scandal, including a record of bank deposits made there by Andrew Wang (Wang Chuan-pu), former agent of French frigate maker Thomson CSF (now known as Thales).

In order to obtain the names of those individuals receiving kickbacks from Taiwan's purchase of six French-made Lafayette-class frigates, Lu contacted the Swiss authorities in mid-June requesting permission to examine all of Wang's accounts and financial documents.

Lu also indicated at the time that Taiwan would be willing to help with any Swiss investigation involving Wang.

However, the Swiss banks refused to provide Lo with the relevant account numbers or names in a bid to protect their reputations.

In related news, People First Party Legislator Lee Ching-hua Tuesday demanded that the group investigating the scandal publicly explain the disappearance of a secret account allegedly involved in the laundering of money related to the alleged kickbacks.

Lee said high-ranking officials in former President Lee Teng-hui's administration are apparently linked to the snowballing frigate scandal and the mysterious death of the late ROC Navy Captain Yin Ching-feng.

The legislator stressed that since investigators have been unwilling to investigate the financial details, he has not ruled out the possibility of legal measures to help unravel the case.

He said about six months ago he questioned Chang Che-chen, head of the KMT administrative committee, about a rumor that when former President Lee served as KMT chairman, some of the chairman's money was transferred into Lee's spokesman, Su Chih-cheng's, account. Lee Ching-hua said Chang confirmed the rumor, but prosecutors have not launched an investigation.

With acknowledgement to Taipei Times.