[ENG Trans.] Prosecutors demanded Shincheonji Lee Man-hee to five years in prison
Dec. 9, 2020 ENG translation
Original Source: https://news.v.daum.net/v/20201209182052303 (KOR)
Reporter Lim Bo-hyuk, a reporter for the Kookmin Ilbo
Registration Date: Dec, 9, 2020 18:20
Prosecutors have demanded a five-year prison term and a fine of 3 million won (around $2800) for Lee Man-hee, 89, who was indicted on charges of obstructing the government's Corona 19 quarantine and embezzling funds from SCJ.
The 11th Criminal Department of the Suwon District Court (Senior Judge Kim Mi-kyung) held a decision-making trial of four people, including leader Lee and three people of SCJ, who are suspected of violating the Act on the Prevention of Infectious Diseases, obstructing the execution of official duties by hierarchy, violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, and obstructing Work. The sentencing trial will be held at 2 p.m. on Jan. 13 next year.
The prosecution pointed out in the opinion that "the accused, including the leader Lee, exposed the lives of numerous people to the danger," and pointed out, "He pretended to cooperate with the quarantine authorities on the outside, but did not actually cooperate." "This is in line with Sincheonji's plot," he added. "The defendant's crime of ignoring public power and obstructing quarantine authorities' activities is bad."
Prosecutors have demanded a 10-month prison term for the Shincheonji official, identified only by his surname Chung, who was indicted along with the leader, and an 8-month prison term for the Hong and Yang.
On this day, the leader entered court wearing a dark blue suit jacket without a tie and in a wheelchair. He also wore headphones, saying that he can't hear well, and was seen sleeping with his eyes closed as his lawyer's last defense was prolonged.
In his final statement, the leader Lee flatly denied the charges, saying, “I did not embezzle one won, and there was no land," and "Shincheonji did not make corona 19 or bring it from China." The leader Lee also raised his voice during the statement.
The trial has been held 14 times since Oct. 12. The court has finished questioning 19 witnesses. The issue of the day was whether the leader Lee ordered and to what extent he was involved in major events.
Prosecutors said Lee was directly involved in the obstruction of epidemiological investigations by quarantine authorities, suggesting that he ordered to omit and manipulate the list of believers and facilities to be submitted to the quarantine authorities in February when Corona 19 was spreading. The leader Lee’s side claimed that it was not intentionally omitted and that it cooperated with the quarantine authorities as much as possible.
The leader Lee’s side also denied allegations that he embezzled 5.6 billion won by bringing in some 5 billion won in funds from the Sincheonji General Assembly in the process of building a "Peace Palace" in Goseong-ri, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Prosecutors, however, said the venue was used for personal purposes, including housing, based on testimony from Kim Nam-hee, former head of the International Women's Peace Group (IWPG), who is known as the leader’s mistress. Prosecutors said the embezzlement charges were established, citing that there was no intervention by the Sincheonji General Assembly from the acquisition process and that the leader did not go through any internal procedures of the General Assembly even when he took the building funds out of the Sincheonji funds.
Prior to the trial, the National Association of Shincheonji Victims held a press conference at the main gate of the court demanding the leader’s arrest and severe punishment. "If the lawyer's expenses were spent with Shincheonji money in connection with the leader Lee’s trial, this also constitutes a crime of embezzlement.” NASV said. "We further accuse the leader of embezzlement in business. Please investigate thoroughly and punish him severely if he is found guilty."
Reporter Lim Bo-hyuk bossem@kmib.co.kr
Comments
Post a Comment