Mke wa aliyekua Rais wa Korea Kusini, Kim Keon Hee, alifika mahakamani kusikiliza kesi inayomkabili kilichodumu saa tano, lakini hakimu hajatoa uamuzi kuhusu ombi la waendesha mashtaka la kutaka kibali cha kumkamata kwa tuhuma za ufisadi
Anakabiliwa na mashtaka yanayoweza kumfunga miaka kadhaa gerezani, ikiwemo udanganyifu wa hisa, rushwa na matumizi mabaya ya ushawishi, ambapo anatuhumiwa kuhusiana na tukio la kuvaa mkufu wa kifahari wa Van Cleef wenye thamani ya zaidi ya won milioni 60 ($43,000) katika mkutano wa NATO mwaka 2022 bila kutangaza kwenye tamko la mali kama sheria inavyotaka. Pia anatuhumiwa kupokea mikoba miwili ya Chanel yenye thamani ya won milioni 20 na mkufu wa almasi kutoka kwa kundi la kidini kama hongo ili kulipatia manufaa ya kibiashara
Iwapo atakamatwa, atakuwa mke wa kwanza wa rais nchini Korea Kusini kukamatwa na kufungwa, akijiunga na mumewe, Rais wa zamani Yoon Suk Yeol, ambaye tayari yuko gerezani akikabiliwa na kesi kufuatia kuondolewa madarakani mwezi Aprili, baada ya jaribio lililoshindikana la kutangaza sheria ya kijeshi mwezi Desemba
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South Korea's former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, appeared in court for a five-hour hearing on Tuesday, but the judge has yet to issue a ruling on a prosecution request for a warrant to arrest her on accusations of graft
If detained, she would be South Korea's only former first lady to be arrested, joining her husband, ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, in jail as he faces trial, following his ouster in April, over a botched bid to impose martial law in December
Kim, wearing a black suit, bowed as she arrived, but did not answer reporters' questions or make a statement. After the hearing ended she left to await the ruling at a detention centre in Seoul, the capital, in line with customary practice
The charges against her, punishable by years in prison, range from stock fraud to bribery and illegal influence peddling that have implicated business owners, religious figures and a political power broker.
She has been accused of breaking the law over an incident in which she wore a luxury Van Cleef pendant reportedly worth more than 60 million won ($43,000) while attending a NATO summit with her husband in 2022.
The item was not listed in the couple's financial disclosure as required by law, according to the charge.
Kim is also accused of receiving two Chanel bags together valued at 20 million won and a diamond necklace from a religious group as a bribe in return for influence favourable to its business interests
The prosecution sought Kim's arrest because of the risk of her destroying evidence and interfering with the investigation, a spokesperson for the special prosecutor's team told a press briefing after Tuesday's hearing.
The spokesperson, Oh Jeong-hee, said Kim had told prosecutors the pendant she wore was a fake bought 20 years ago in Hong Kong
The prosecution said it was genuine, however, and given by a domestic construction company for Kim to wear at the summit, Oh said
Kim's lawyers did not immediately comment on Tuesday but they have previously denied the accusations against her and dismissed as groundless speculation news reports about some of the gifts she allegedly received
The court is expected to announce its decision late on Tuesday or overnight, media said, based on the timing of the decision to arrest Yoon
Yoon is on trial on charges of insurrection, which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
The former president, who also faces charges of abuse of power among others, has denied wrongdoing and refused to attend trial hearings or be questioned by prosecutors.
Source: Reuters
Anakabiliwa na mashtaka yanayoweza kumfunga miaka kadhaa gerezani, ikiwemo udanganyifu wa hisa, rushwa na matumizi mabaya ya ushawishi, ambapo anatuhumiwa kuhusiana na tukio la kuvaa mkufu wa kifahari wa Van Cleef wenye thamani ya zaidi ya won milioni 60 ($43,000) katika mkutano wa NATO mwaka 2022 bila kutangaza kwenye tamko la mali kama sheria inavyotaka. Pia anatuhumiwa kupokea mikoba miwili ya Chanel yenye thamani ya won milioni 20 na mkufu wa almasi kutoka kwa kundi la kidini kama hongo ili kulipatia manufaa ya kibiashara
Iwapo atakamatwa, atakuwa mke wa kwanza wa rais nchini Korea Kusini kukamatwa na kufungwa, akijiunga na mumewe, Rais wa zamani Yoon Suk Yeol, ambaye tayari yuko gerezani akikabiliwa na kesi kufuatia kuondolewa madarakani mwezi Aprili, baada ya jaribio lililoshindikana la kutangaza sheria ya kijeshi mwezi Desemba
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South Korea's former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, appeared in court for a five-hour hearing on Tuesday, but the judge has yet to issue a ruling on a prosecution request for a warrant to arrest her on accusations of graft
If detained, she would be South Korea's only former first lady to be arrested, joining her husband, ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, in jail as he faces trial, following his ouster in April, over a botched bid to impose martial law in December
Kim, wearing a black suit, bowed as she arrived, but did not answer reporters' questions or make a statement. After the hearing ended she left to await the ruling at a detention centre in Seoul, the capital, in line with customary practice
The charges against her, punishable by years in prison, range from stock fraud to bribery and illegal influence peddling that have implicated business owners, religious figures and a political power broker.
She has been accused of breaking the law over an incident in which she wore a luxury Van Cleef pendant reportedly worth more than 60 million won ($43,000) while attending a NATO summit with her husband in 2022.
The item was not listed in the couple's financial disclosure as required by law, according to the charge.
Kim is also accused of receiving two Chanel bags together valued at 20 million won and a diamond necklace from a religious group as a bribe in return for influence favourable to its business interests
The prosecution sought Kim's arrest because of the risk of her destroying evidence and interfering with the investigation, a spokesperson for the special prosecutor's team told a press briefing after Tuesday's hearing.
The spokesperson, Oh Jeong-hee, said Kim had told prosecutors the pendant she wore was a fake bought 20 years ago in Hong Kong
The prosecution said it was genuine, however, and given by a domestic construction company for Kim to wear at the summit, Oh said
Kim's lawyers did not immediately comment on Tuesday but they have previously denied the accusations against her and dismissed as groundless speculation news reports about some of the gifts she allegedly received
The court is expected to announce its decision late on Tuesday or overnight, media said, based on the timing of the decision to arrest Yoon
Yoon is on trial on charges of insurrection, which could result in life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
The former president, who also faces charges of abuse of power among others, has denied wrongdoing and refused to attend trial hearings or be questioned by prosecutors.
Source: Reuters
