Appellate court upholds acquittal of Shincheonji leader
SUWON, South Korea, Nov. 30 (Yonhap) -- An appellate court on Tuesday upheld a lower court's ruling and acquitted a religious sect leader of charges that he obstructed the government's response to COVID-19 outbreaks last year.
Lee Man-hee, the 90-year-old founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, was indicted last year for allegedly underreporting the number of Shincheonji followers and church locations to the government when the virus was fast spreading among the followers.
However, both the district and the appellate courts found that submission of such information pertains to the data acquisition process, not the government's epidemiological investigation process, concluding Lee's act is not punishable under the infectious disease prevention act.
"It is also difficult to conclude the accused deliberately omitted requested data," the Suwon High Court said, noting that the church later submitted all requested data to the government.
The court, however, found Lee partly guilty of charges of embezzling 5.6 billion won (US$4.7 million) from church funds to build a new church facility and holding unauthorized religious events at local government facilities from 2015 to 2019.
The high court gave Lee a three-year prison term, suspended for five years, for the offences, a sentence slightly heavier than the three-year term, suspended for four years, handed by the lower court.

This file photo shows Lee Man-hee, the 90-year-old founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
BLACKPINK star Jisoo tests positive for COVID-19, to miss world tour stop in Osaka
-
(URGENT) Seoul city sends alert to residents to prepare for evacuation after N. Korea's launch
-
Seoul city sends alert to residents to prepare for possible evacuation after N. Korea's launch
-
N. Korea fires what it claims to be 'space launch vehicle' southward: S. Korean military
-
Flights from typhoon-hit Guam to S. Korea to resume Monday: ministry
-
Fifty Fifty chart on Billboard Hot 100 for 10th week with 'Cupid'
-
(URGENT) Seoul city sends alert to residents to prepare for evacuation after N. Korea's launch
-
BLACKPINK star Jisoo tests positive for COVID-19, to miss world tour stop in Osaka
-
S. Korea slams N. Korea's planned satellite launch, warns of consequences
-
N. Korea fires what it claims to be 'space launch vehicle' southward: S. Korean military
-
BLACKPINK star Jisoo tests positive for COVID-19, to miss world tour stop in Osaka
-
Nat'l team baseball players apologize for drinking during WBC in Tokyo
-
Suspect in grisly Busan murder sent to prosecutors for further probe
-
(2nd LD) Election watchdog refuses state auditor's inspection into nepotism suspicions
-
EXO trio refutes SM's claim over attempts for double contracts