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A former and current prosecutor who received drinks from a key figure in the Lime scandal that led to the suspension of large-scale fund redemption was acquitted in the first trial.

It is said that the amount of entertainment does not exceed 1 million won per person, which is the criminal punishment standard, but it is pointed out that the judgment is outside the national legal appraisal.



By Son Hyeong-an, staff reporter.



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In October 2020, former Star Mobility Chairman Kim Bong-hyeon, who was serving a sentence, revealed in a handwritten statement that he and three current prosecutors served alcohol in a room salon.



After the prosecution's investigation, it was confirmed that Lee and three incumbent prosecutors were entertained, but only Chairman Kim, a lawyer, and one senior prosecutor were handed over to the trial.



The logic was that if the entertainment time and total cost were divided by the number of people, the two junior prosecutors could not be punished for receiving 960,000 won of entertainment, which is less than the 1 million won to 40,000 won punishment standard for the Anti-Graft Act.



Only former Chairman Kim, a lawyer, and a senior prosecutor were charged with receiving 1.14 million won worth of entertainment, but today (30th) the first trial court acquitted even this.



This time, the penalty of 100,000 won became the decisive reason.



The court calculated that as the number of people increased, the cost of entertainment per person decreased even more, saying that it was judged that former Vice President Lee Jong-pil and former Blue House administrator Kim Mo were present at the reception on the day.



All the accused were acquitted, saying that the value of entertainment per person recalculated by the court was 93,9167 won, which was less than the punishment standard of 1 million won this time around 60,000 won.



[Prosecutor Na-Mo: (Please tell me, I came out not guilty.) I am sorry for causing a scandal.]



There are also criticisms that the prosecution's investigation is insufficient over the result of this sentence, but the prosecution is considering whether to appeal.



(Video coverage: Kim Tae-hoon, video editing: Hwang Ji-young)