A former police officer who was indicted for helping the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS) destroy evidence related to the investigation into sexual assault allegations against its leader, Jung Myung-seok, has been sentenced to prison in the first trial.
The Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court sentenced the former officer, identified as A, to one year in prison on charges of abetting the destruction of evidence.
The court found the defendant guilty of all charges, stating, "The defendant was actively involved in assisting the JMS side in destroying evidence, and the destruction was carried out as instructed, which hindered the discovery of the truth and obstructed the investigation process."
The court explained the sentencing, adding, "Although the responsibility is heavy as a police officer, we have taken into account that this is a first offense and that the defendant has belatedly admitted to the wrongdoing."
A, who was a team leader-level officer at the time, was indicted for participating in a video conference with JMS executives in 2022 after allegations of sexual assault against female followers by Jung surfaced. During the meeting, A helped destroy evidence by persuading followers to replace their mobile phones.
Investigations revealed that A used his investigative experience to advise on how to destroy evidence, and that Jung's aides actually followed through by replacing their mobile phones.
A, who was an active-duty police officer at the time, was dismissed from his position following the incident.
Jung Myung-seok was sentenced to 17 years in prison by the Supreme Court in January of last year for sexually assaulting female followers. Following additional complaints, he has been indicted again and is currently undergoing a first trial at the Daejeon District Court.
Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
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