Search and seizure of the Shincheonji facilities nationwide - TTN
TTN News 2020.05.22
[Anchor]
Prosecutors raided the headquarters of the General Assembly and other facilities of the Shincheonji Church across the country.
As it is the first compulsory investigation, the persons concerned are expected to be summoned right after the analysis of the confiscated evidences.
The report of our reporter Jung Hyun-woo.
[Reporter]
The investigators of the prosecution take the elevator carrying blue boxes.
It is the first time that they come forward to secure the material related to the accuses of embezzlement and spreading of the Coronavirus against the chairman Lee Man-hee.
The prosecution has been simultaneously searching and seizing the headquarters of the General Assembly in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and other branches throughout the country since this morning at 7.
They said that the houses and the offices of church members, including the chairman of the Shincheonji church, Lee Man-hee, have also been included.
About 100 prosecutors and investigators were mobilized for the seizure and search.
The investigation is said to have started only after three months from the complaint of the Shincheonji's victims.
In February, the National Shincheonji Victims Association accused Lee Man-hee and other executives of embezzlement, breach of trust and of violation of the Infectious Disease Control Act .
National Shincheonji Victims Association executive: Their management is systematic to the point they use fingerprint recognition for the attendance (to the service). The list of the believers is well organized, well-prepared, but they failed to hand it over to the authorities on time....
The prosecution is expected to focus on determining whether Shincheonji's cover-up and partial information have favored the spreading of the Corona 19.
In particular, they will also look into the allegations of embezzlement and breach of trust that would have granted Mr. Lee the ownership of the Gapyeong Peace Palace, the Sunchon-ri villa, and the land in Cheongpyeong-ri worth 8 billion won.
Sinchonji said it has been cooperating with the investigation so far, and accept with skepticism the seizure and search of the prosecution.
Sincheonji Church of Jesus: The forensics team of the prosecution took everything. There's nothing else to cooperate with. The public opinion also reach the prosecution, so I guess that's what they would do(search and confiscation)....
When the prosecution analyzes the material collected in the raid, the executives are expected to be summoned.
As the prosecution, which had been limiting its own authority to help the government's prevention activities, has launched a forced investigation, observers say that the summon of Mr. Lee is imminent.
This is Jung Hyun-woo of YTN.
Original video and script: https://youtu.be/yGlVwxG5JvI
