Prosecutors in Taipei have appealed to the "high court" of Taiwan against the acquittal of Ma Ying-jeou, candidate of the Kuomintang (KMT) for the Taiwan leader election, according to Taiwan media reports.

It means that the special fund case involving the former Taipei mayor has entered its second round of judicial procedure.

Ma was accused of misusing more than 11 million New Taiwan dollars (US$330,000) in expense funds during his tenure as mayor of Taipei.

Ma resigned as chairman of the KMT, Taiwan's leading opposition party, after being indicted on Februrary 13, but declared that he would run for the 2008 Taiwan leader election.

The Taipei District Court announced a verdict of "not guilty" on Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2007)