Exclusive: Investigation Team Leader Accused of Ordering Evidence to Be Left Behind; Was There Higher-Level Interference?

[Anchor]

It has been confirmed that the police officer who first discovered the controversial cable ties in Jang Yun-gi's vehicle testified to investigators that the investigation team leader instructed him to "just leave them there." However, the team leader claimed in a phone call with our reporters that he has never even met Jang Yun-gi's father. With this in mind, the police are investigating all possibilities, including whether there was interference from higher-ups, to determine why the order to leave the cable ties was given.

Here is the exclusive report by Kim su-yun.

[Reporter]

The special investigation team of the National Office of Investigation recently summoned and questioned Officer B, who was part of the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station investigation team that handled the initial investigation into the Jang Yun-gi case.

Officer B is the person identified as having filmed the search and seizure of the SUV used by Jang Yun-gi immediately after the incident occurred.

SBS has learned that during the police questioning, Officer B testified that when the cable ties were found in Jang's vehicle during the search, the investigation team leader, Inspector A, gave an instruction to the effect of "just leave them there."

This testimony from Officer B appears to have been a key basis for the police to emergency-arrest Inspector A, the investigation team leader, on the 6th.

In response, Inspector A's side explained, "He did not think at the time that the cable ties would be an issue, so it seems unlikely that such a situation occurred."

Inspector A's side further explained, "At the time of the investigation, we judged the case as 'murder' rather than 'rape and murder,' so we were only focused on finding the weapon used in the crime."

He also repeatedly emphasized, "I have never met Jang's father, Inspector Jang," adding, "There is absolutely no reason for me to overlook anything or help him."

Based on Inspector A's stance, the police are expanding their investigation, focusing on the possibility that there may have been interference from so-called "higher-ups" above the team leader in the decision to leave the cable ties behind despite having identified them.

Inspector A, who appeared at the Gwangju District Court this morning for his pre-arrest interrogation, pushed past reporters aggressively as he entered the courtroom.

[(Do you admit to the charges of destroying evidence?) ...... (Do you have anything to say?) ......]

A decision on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Inspector A is expected to be made as early as late tonight.

(Video reporting: Lee Byung-ju | Video editing: Ahn Yeo-jin | Design: Jeon Yu-geun)

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