Man Found Not Guilty of Embezzling Lost iPad in Suwon Court

Updated on 2024-09-17 10:00

A man in his 50s, who was taken to trial after finding and keeping an iPad that someone else had lost for over a month, was found not guilty in both the first and second trials.

The Suwon High Court Criminal Division 1 (Judges Moon Ju-hyung, Kim Min-sang, and Kang Young-jae) sentenced Mr. A, who was indicted on charges of embezzlement of lost property, to not guilty, as in the original trial.

The court ruled that the defendant’s actions did not constitute embezzlement, as there was no intention to keep the iPad for himself without intending to return it. The court stated, “If we examine closely the evidence that the lower court legally adopted and examined, the lower court’s decision to find the defendant not guilty is justified.”

Mr. A was indicted on charges of embezzling property that had been taken from Person B’s possession without returning it and taking other necessary steps after finding an iPad worth 1 million won that Person B had lost on a badminton court bench in the apartment complex on the afternoon of November 7, 2022.

The police investigation revealed that the defendant’s spouse had left a comment on the victim’s post about the lost iPad, expressing anxiety and willingness to return the iPad. The defendant’s spouse voluntarily submitted the iPad to the police in February 2023.

The court found that there was no objective evidence to prove that the defendant had attempted to unlock the password or delete data from the iPad. Additionally, the defendant’s spouse’s actions demonstrated a willingness to return the iPad, contradicting the victim’s claims.

The court’s decision highlights the importance of objective evidence in determining guilt or innocence. In this case, the lack of evidence supporting the victim’s claims led to the defendant’s acquittal.