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A South Korean court will hold a hearing on Thursday to decide whether to arrest ousted president Park Geun-hye and hold her in a cell for up to 20 days while she is investigated on charges of taking bribes and abusing presidential power.

According to Reuters report, Park, 65, became South Korea's first democratically elected president to be removed from office when a constitutional court upheld her parliamentary impeachment this month.

Park is accused of colluding with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back the former president’s policy initiatives. She and Choi have denied wrongdoing.

In announcing the move on Monday to seek an arrest warrant, the South Korean prosecutors' office said there was reason to suspect that Park would try to destroy evidence.
"The case is very grave as the suspect has demonstrated acts of abuse of power by making companies give money and infringing on the freedom of corporate management by using powerful position and authority as president," the prosecutors' office said in a statement, as quoted by the agency.

Park could face more than 10 years in jail if convicted of receiving bribes from bosses of big conglomerates, including Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee, in return for favors

Park, who is currently free from detention, was questioned for 14 hours by prosecutors last week. If the court grants the arrest warrant, Park will become the country's third former president to be detained in custody while being investigated.