Not related to this article. [Getty Images Bank]
Not related to this article. [Getty Images Bank]

A police officer in his 60s who demanded dining expenses and liquor from a drunk-driving suspect in exchange for showing leniency — including encouraging the suspect to reach a settlement — has received a suspended prison sentence.

The Incheon District Court's Criminal Division 14, presided over by Judge Son Seung-beom, on Thursday sentenced the officer, identified only as A, a senior inspector in his 60s attached to an Incheon police station, to six months in prison suspended for one year and a fine of 1 million won ($709), on charges of soliciting a bribe.

A was indicted on charges of encouraging suspect B, whose drunk-driving accident case had been assigned to him in May last year, to settle with the victims, then demanding 300,000 won in dining expenses and a bottle of liquor worth 52,000 won.

B subsequently settled with the victims, and A booked him only on drunk-driving charges under the Road Traffic Act, dropping the injury charge under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents.

B had been accused of driving about 5 kilometers from Michuhol-gu to Yeonsu-gu in Incheon at 12:20 a.m. on April 25 last year with a blood alcohol level of 0.114 percent before rear-ending a taxi stopped at a red light.

When B came in for questioning, A told him: "The investigation went fine, and we're planning a team dinner soon — it would be great if you could chip in for the meal." A also asked him to bring 300,000 won in cash to the police station on the day of the dinner, and sent a text message saying, "When you come to the station, could you bring a bottle of liquor from the supermarket?"

It also emerged that immediately after the early settlement, A interviewed only B without hearing from the victims — including the taxi passenger — before booking him solely on the lesser drunk-driving charge.

A received a heavy disciplinary penalty earlier this year in connection with the case.


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