After a defendant put on trial in Jeju on charges of stealing 30,000 won worth of clothes was acquitted in the first trial for lack of evidence, prosecutors appealed.
According to legal sources on the 23rd, the Jeju District Court Criminal Division 1 (Chief Judge Oh Chang-hun) said to the prosecutor at the first appellate hearing held recently, "Is this even indictable?" and "Do we have to hold an appellate trial because a 30,000 won case resulted in an acquittal?"
At the hearing, prosecutors moved to amend the indictment, saying, "If A did not conspire in the crime, we can contest whether there was aiding and abetting." While delivering sharp criticism to the prosecution, the court accepted the amendment to proceed with the trial.
According to the prosecution, on June 27, 2024, A is accused of helping the crime by keeping watch on the store owner and handing a black plastic bag A was holding to neighbor B while B stole six pieces of clothing worth about 30,000 won displayed outside a clothing store in Jeju.
In contrast, A's side argued in the first trial, "The plastic bag contained B's medicine, and A gave it because B asked for the medicine bag; A did not know about the theft."
The first-instance court, after reviewing CCTV footage and statements, found that "when B took out the clothes, A was on a phone call, so there is a possibility A did not recognize the crime," adding that "the explanation about handing over the medicine bag is also convincing."
The court also acquitted A, saying, "There is no evidence that A shared the stolen clothes with B or took criminal proceeds."
Meanwhile, during the police investigation, B did not mention whether A conspired, and was confirmed to have died during the trial.