2024-01-17 04:51:24
The victim kneels and pours alcohol for Mr. A. Photo: Changwon Coast Guard
A police investigation revealed that a case that almost ended in simple drowning turned out to be an elaborate gaslighting (psychological domination) crime.
The Changwon Marine Police Station announced on the 17th that it had detained and sent Mr. A, a man in his 40s, on charges of manslaughter and aggravated confinement in connection with a death incident that occurred at sea in front of Geoje Okpo Port Waterfront Park.
The incident occurred on October 11 last year at Okpo Port Waterside Park in Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do. Mr. B, a man in his 50s, fell into the sea and died.
Initially, this case almost ended as a simple case of accidental death. However, the police noticed something unclear in the behavior of the deceased man’s group, including Mr. A, and began an investigation, revealing that the incident was a gaslighting crime targeting socially disadvantaged people.
According to the Changwon Coast Guard, Mr. B, who died, was a basic livelihood recipient who received monthly living expenses from the government.
Mr. A treated Mr. B, whom he found out in 2018, that he had been active as a member of an organized crime group in the past and that he would mobilize gang members to retaliate once morest him if he did not follow his instructions, and subjected him to harsh acts, including assault. It was revealed that Mr. A used the same method to physically and mentally dominate Mr. C (a man in his 50s), who, like Mr. B, was a recipient of basic livelihood security.
On October 10 last year, the day before Mr. B died, Mr. A forced Mr. B and Mr. C to drink alcohol at a restaurant in Okpo-dong, Geoje and did not let them sleep. By the day of death, the victims had consumed 22 bottles of soju.
The victim entering the sea from Okpo Waterside Park. Photo: Changwon Coast Guard
The next day, Mr. A instructed the victims at Okpo Waterside Park to “go swimming together.” Ms. B immediately took off her clothes and climbed over the railing, but Ms. C hesitated because she thought she might die. Then Mr. A urged her to go in, saying, “What are you doing if you’re not going in?” In the end, Mr. B, who entered the sea first, was swept away by the waves and died without being able to escape.
The police determined that the crime was committed when Mr. B and Mr. C, who were physically and mentally devastated by Mr. A’s continuous assault and harsh treatment, lost their sense of reality and judgment.
Mr. C continued to live a life of wearing only one set of clothes and worrying regarding every meal throughout the year, and Mr. B was also in poor health, walking because he had no money for a car and losing regarding 18kg of weight due to not being able to eat.
Nevertheless, Mr. A began extorting cash from Mr. C in 2021, and in April last year, he robbed the victims of 13 million won in basic living expenses. She also forced the victims, who had difficulty working due to health problems, to work as day laborers and transfer their earnings of 2.3 million won to their mother’s account.
In order to prevent his crimes from being revealed, Mr. A frequently checked the victims’ cell phones and received reports on their daily lives. It was revealed that in June of last year, she ordered the victims to take pictures of road name signs and send them while walking a distance of regarding 5 hours (regarding 17 km).
He also took the victims into a motel and prevented them from leaving, then forced them to drink alcohol and fight with them until they fainted.
An official from the Changwon Coast Guard said, “This incident is a serious human rights violation that has pushed the socially vulnerable, who have no one to rely on, to the brink,” and added, “We have taken support measures to prevent retaliatory crimes once morest the victims and to quickly restore their daily lives.”
The Coast Guard arrested and sent Mr. A on December 26 last year, and the prosecution arrested and indicted Mr. A on charges of manslaughter, coercion, and blackmail on the 12th.
Reporter Kim Eunbin [email protected]
1705474633
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