Police Officer Indicted Without Detention for Obtaining Arrest Warrant with Fabricated Documents

Suspect Voluntarily Appeared for Questioning, Then Placed Under Emergency Arrest

Suspect Released After Illegal Arrest Is Confirmed

A current police officer has been brought to trial after luring a suspect who voluntarily appeared at a police station outside, then making an emergency arrest, and fabricating false investigative documents to obtain a detention warrant.

On July 14, the Criminal Division 4 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, headed by chief prosecutor Kim Byung-cheol, announced that it had indicted a serving police officer, Mr. A (43), without detention on charges including violation of the Electronic Criminal Procedure Act, abuse of authority in making an arrest, and forgery and use of official electronic records.

Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Ji-ye Lee

According to prosecutors, Mr. A was brought to trial for allegedly inducing Mr. B, a suspect in a special theft case who voluntarily turned himself in on May 22, to leave the police station, and then making an emergency arrest in front of the nearby subway station.

Investigations found that Mr. A wrote false content in the emergency arrest report, claiming, "The suspect was discovered by chance during an investigation and immediately arrested." Based on this document, the court determined that Mr. B posed a flight risk and issued a detention warrant. Mr. A also fabricated a statement to make it appear as if he had confiscated the stolen money directly from Mr. B at the scene of the emergency arrest. It was later revealed that the money had actually been received from a game hall owner, to whom Mr. B had entrusted the stolen cash.

During additional investigations into the special theft case, prosecutors reviewed call recordings, CCTV footage, communication records, and police station entry logs based on Mr. B’s victim statement, and concluded that his account was consistent with the objective evidence.

On June 1, prosecutors canceled Mr. B’s detention and immediately released him; after further investigation, they indicted him without detention for the special theft charge. A prosecution official stated, “This case clarifies the abuse of investigative authority by a police officer in emergency arrests, which are exceptions to the principle of warrant requirement. We will respond strictly to ensure due process is upheld.”

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