TAIPEI - A Taiwan court Friday sentenced former president Chen Shui-bian to life in jail on corruption charges, while also handing a life term to his wife, a court official said.

Chen, the first former Taiwan leader to be put on trial, was convicted for embezzling state funds, money laundering and accepting bribes, the Taipei district court said in a statement.

Taiwan's former first lady, wheelchair-bound Wu Shu-chen, was also convicted to life in jail, the court said.

The verdict marks the culmination of a court drama that has gripped the island of 23 million people for months.

Chen, 58, has criticised the trial as a political vendetta and revenge for his years in power when he was pursuing independence from China.

He has said that his Beijing-friendly successor Ma Ying-jeou is behind the alleged witch-hunt, but Ma has denied the charge.