▲ Lee Ki-hoon, former vice chairman of Sambu Construction (and chairman of Wellbiotech), who fled while under investigation for the Sambu Construction stock manipulation scandal, enters the office of the independent counsel team regarding Kim Keon-hee in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 11th after being arrested by police.
The chairman of a KOSPI-listed firm, surnamed Lee, who was indicted on charges of helping Lee Ki-hoon, a key figure in the suspected Sambu Construction stock manipulation case, evade law enforcement, has been sentenced to prison again in his second trial.
The 15th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (High Court Judges Lee Hee-jun, Sung Eon-joo, and Won Ik-sun) sentenced Lee, who faces charges of harboring a fugitive and aiding escape, to one year in prison today (the 29th).
This is a reduction of six months from the one-year-and-six-month sentence handed down in the first trial.
An accomplice, surnamed Kim, received the same one-year prison sentence as in the lower court, while Choi, a secretary who participated in the crime upon Lee's instructions, was fined 5 million won.
Choi had previously been sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years in the first trial.
Lee and the others are accused of providing vehicles and communication means for traveling to a hideout when former Sambu Construction Vice Chairman Lee Ki-hoon fled ahead of a court warrant review in July of last year.
Investigations showed that they provided him with a pocket Wi-Fi router (data egg), a USIM card, and a hideout while he was on the run, as well as arranging a driver.
The court rebuked Lee for systematically committing the crime by dividing roles with Choi and for involving Choi in the offense.
The court pointed out, "This resulted in hindering investigative agencies, including the independent counsel team led by Min Joong-ki, by forcing them to deploy considerable manpower and time to track down former Vice Chairman Lee, making the culpability heavy."
However, the court noted that it took into consideration factors such as the relatively short period of four days that former Vice Chairman Lee managed to evade authorities due to Lee's actions, and the fact that he received no separate compensation.
Previously, the independent counsel team demanded a three-year prison sentence for Lee during the sentencing hearing of the appeal.
This was the same sentence demanded during the first trial.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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