Fans have been trending #JusticeforSeungri on social media, while calling him a victim of media propaganda. Former BIGBANG member Seungri is currently facing eight charges of which he has admitted to only one in the Burning Sun scandal. But his fans have intensified their fight seeking justice for Seungri as most of the witnesses were seen contradicting their previous statements in the military court.
Currently Seungri is facing trial at the Ground Operations Command's general military court in Yongin. Recently the 13th victim was questioned in the military court. Her statement in the court differed from what she had told the police. When questioned, she revealed that her statements were altered by the police.
Witness Testifies on Prostitution Charges
The witness was called in to testify about sexual favors offered to a Japanese investors group in Dec. 24, 2015. She told the court that she was offered a part-time job of prostitution and was asked to go to a hotel. She said that she had no idea the other man had any connections with Seungri. "I didn't know my client was Japanese, and there was no sex. No one mentioned Seungri at that time," she said.
She received a second offer later and went to a restaurant in Gangnam the next morning. She said that there were lot of people in the restaurant and she couldn't identify them. "I left with a man after the drinking party, but I don't remember seeing that man [Seungri] at the restaurant."
Her statement with the police had record of her saying that after she left the restaurant, she was in Seungri's car for a while. But in the court she said that she had never told police that it was Seungri's car. "I didn't even know if it was Seungri's car. It was the police who said 'That [was] Seungri's car', and it looks like they seem to have written it that way," she said.
The police record also stated that she had testified that Seungri was the defendant group. But clarifying it in the court, she said: "I just said that there was one person among many people, and he was a guy who appeared at the restaurant, but since Seungri was also there, police wrote him as defendant's group." She also said that she had never had any conversation with Seungri.
Free From Embezzlement Charges?
This clearly proves that police had altered her statement before submitting them to the court. She is not the only witness who gave different versions of statements in the court. The Monkey Museum CEO, who testified regarding embezzlement charge, also cleared Seungri of any involvement, while the police statement had recorded Seungri's involvement. Monkey Museum CEO took complete responsibility for decisions and actions taken. "Monkey Entertainment's stake was 100 percent on me, and neither Seungri nor Yuri Holdings had any shares in Monkey Entertainment. Seungri didn't manage it (Monkey Museum)," he had told the court.
Another witness, an employee with Yuri Holdings, had stated in police records that the embezzled 50 million won was company money. But while testifying in the court he had told that it was personal money.
Following the testimony of 13th witness, Seungri's Defense Lawyer demanded an answer for inconsistency in statements. Judge too agreed with the same and said: "There could have been coercion or pressure during police interrogation, but it's necessary for the court to confirm the reversal of statements made according to conscience."
Currently Seungri is facing eight charges including the purchase of prostitution services, prostitution mediation, embezzlement, violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes (an additional charge for embezzlement of a sum exceeding a certain number), violation of the Food Sanitation Act, habitual gambling, violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, and violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes.
But reversal and contradiction in witness' statements have made KPop fans wonder if Seungri is being victimized for the crime he has not committed. This is why fans have been trending Justice for Seungri, online.
