Court Rules Drowsy Driving Caused Traffic Accident
Not Guilty of Murder and Insurance Fraud... 2-Year Prison Sentence Confirmed for Manslaughter
On-site verification of the traffic accident involving a pregnant woman from Cambodia in her final trimester. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] The Supreme Court acquitted a husband who was charged with causing the death of his pregnant wife from Cambodia in a traffic accident, allegedly aiming to claim insurance money worth 9.5 billion won. The cause of the wife's traffic accident was determined to be 'drowsy driving,' not 'murder.'
The Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice Noh Jeong-hee) announced on the 18th that it upheld the retrial ruling that acquitted Mr. A, who was charged with murder and insurance fraud, in his final appeal.
Mr. A was only found guilty of causing death under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling and was sentenced to two years in prison.
On August 23, 2014, Mr. A was driving a van and collided with a parked truck on the road.
His wife, who was seven months pregnant at the time (aged 24), died in the accident. There was an insurance contract worth approximately 9.5 billion won under her name.
The prosecution charged Mr. A with murder and other offenses, citing the insurance contract worth 9.5 billion won under his wife's name and the fact that he had additionally subscribed to insurance worth 3 billion won two months before the accident.
The first trial court acquitted him, stating that the crime could not be proven solely by circumstantial evidence, but the second trial court sentenced him to life imprisonment based on the circumstances of the additional insurance subscription.
However, in the first appeal in July 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the case with a verdict of not guilty, stating that the motive for the crime was not clear.
The Daejeon High Court recognized only the charge of causing death by drowsy driving and sentenced him to two years in prison, ruling not guilty on the charges of murder and insurance fraud in accordance with the Supreme Court's judgment in the appeal.
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