Asked son to 'fake victim text'... Sexual assault suspect caught by prosecution

Son-in-law forged text messages pretending to be victim
Exposed by digital forensic analysis

A man in his 40s, who was on trial for a sexual assault case, was caught by the prosecution in the appeal trial for manipulating evidence using his son.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A man in his 40s, who was on trial for a sexual assault case, was caught by the prosecution for submitting falsified evidence using his son during the appeal trial.

According to Changwon District Prosecutors' Office on the 30th, the Criminal Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Choi Woo-young) indicted A (47) without detention on charges of fabricating evidence by manipulating text messages on a mobile phone during the trial.

A, who was imprisoned in a correctional facility in Gyeongnam for sexual assault and other charges, sent a letter to his son in September last year requesting him to use an application that could manipulate text messages to fabricate messages as if the victim had sent texts to him.

In response, the son forged messages as if the victim had sent texts to A, including content such as "If you keep wearing only underwear, I will sue you for sexual harassment," and "Leave the house; if you don't, I will make you leave by any means."

Later, during the appeal trial, A submitted the pre-forged messages as evidence, claiming that he had exchanged texts with the victim.

However, the appeal trial prosecutor requested the digital forensic team to analyze the messages, and the manipulation was uncovered.

The prosecution suspects that A committed the crime fearing that without other evidence, the appeal would be dismissed after being convicted and detained in the first trial for sexual assault and other charges.

A prosecution official stated, "If someone manipulates text messages using an app and submits them as evidence, they can be punished for fabricating evidence," adding, "We will strictly punish offenders who disrupt judicial order through evidence fabrication, perjury, and other acts during investigations and trials."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.