A man who was wrongfully accused of being a "sexual offender" for two years due to "false evidence" from the police has been acquitted after one year and eight months.

Having shed the label of "sexual offender" after nearly two years, his lawyer is raising concerns about the possibility of "evidence fabrication" by the police.

On the 25th, JTBC's 'Case Desk' reported the story of a man, referred to as Mr. A, who was suddenly branded a "sexual offender" on the subway and endured a hellish experience for two years.

The incident traces back to March 2023. At that time, Mr. A boarded the subway at Sadang Station on Line 2 in Seoul and got off at Gangnam Station. Given that it was rush hour, many passengers were on board.

The problem arose a few days later when police called to inform him that he had allegedly groped a female passenger three times on Seoul Subway Line 2.

Mr. A stated that he swore he had never harassed a woman and mistook the police call for a "voice phishing" attempt.

However, the call was not a voice phishing scam. The police stated, "The victim testified that the accused got off at Gangnam Station from car 4-1," and upon analyzing the station's CCTV footage, they claimed that the physical description provided by the victim matched Mr. A's to a significant extent.

They added, "After sending photos of several men with similar physical features, including the man who got off at 4-1, the victim identified Mr. A."

Due to the victim's specific identification and the evidence presented by the police, Mr. A was charged as a "sexual offender" and, feeling wronged, hired a lawyer.

Mr. A's lawyer mentioned, "The victim's testimony was consistent and they got off at different stops only a station apart, so I thought there was a high possibility of a guilty verdict. However, while analyzing the CCTV that the police secured, I found something odd."

He continued, "If (the place where Mr. A was standing) was indeed car 4-1 as per the police investigation, there should have been a three-car section for the elderly and disabled next to it, but it was just a regular section." He explained, "Upon checking after passengers exited, it turned out that Mr. A was actually in car 3-3."

While the victim and the "real" sexual offender were indeed in car 4-1, Mr. A had boarded a completely different car, 3-3.

Moreover, the physical description that the police claimed matched the victim was confirmed to be entirely different.

According to Mr. A's lawyer, the police alleged that at the time of the incident, the victim was wearing a white mask and a khaki jumper that covered her lower body, yet the actual victim was wearing a gray cardigan that did not cover her lower body.

The victim also felt astonished as she was pointed out as a different individual by the police. In court, she testified, "The woman in the photos presented by the police is not me."

Mr. A stated, "Since the investigation was flawed, the prosecutor decided to abandon the appeal," allowing him to clear his name after one year and eight months.

He expressed, "The police haven't apologized or provided any compensation," stating, "I had a chronic illness for 20 years, and due to that illness, I developed panic disorder, and this incident occurred while I was undergoing treatment. My wife believed me, but just thinking about this matter is extremely stressful."

Mr. A's lawyer stated, "The police could not have been unaware of whether it was car 3 or car 4 while checking the CCTV, yet they simply asserted it was car 4." He added, "It seems they have designated a suspect first and tried to fit the evidence afterward."

Currently, Mr. A's side plans to file charges against the investigating officer for "forging false public documents" and "neglect of duty."

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