Prosecution to investigate allegations over Rohs account

By Bae Ji-sook

Prosecutors said Thursday they will investigate the allegations that the late former President Roh Moo-hyun had a bank account under an alias, raised by National Police Commissioner-nominee Cho Hyun-oh.

They said they will look into whether this alleged bank account actually exists and whether claiming its connection to Roh could be regarded as libel, as the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation claimed before filing a libel suit against Cho earlier this week.

Staffers at the Seoul Central District Court will scrutinize pertinent documents prepared last year during an investigation by another group of prosecutors into Roh’s bribery scandal, sources said.

In 2009, Roh was accused of receiving bribes from Park Yeon-cha, chairman of the Busan-based shoemaker Taekwang. But on May 23, during the investigation, he killed himself. His sudden death brought an immediate end to the investigation, without confirming any wrongdoing involving Roh.

A prosecution insider said, “Last year, staffers detected some traces of bank accounts opened under borrowed names while examining Roh’s case. But the case closed at once with Roh’s death. Cho, then chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Agency, seems to have referred to this,” according to the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper.

The police chief-nominee is accused of making false allegations about the former head of state when he asked some 500 senior police officers in a closed-door meeting in March, “Why did former President Roh take his own life? The day before he jumped off that cliff to his death, a bank account under an alias, with a huge amount of money was found.”

He also claimed, “Kwon Yang-sook (widow of the late Roh) contacted the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) to confuse the investigation after an independent counsel was picked.”

The foundation, created by a group of former aides of the former President, filed both complaints and a criminal suit with the prosecution against Cho. The investigation is expected to cause a stir in political circles.

Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the ruling Grand National Party requested the administration Thursday to adopt an independent prosecution system to ensure a thorough and politically neutral investigation. “We don’t need the scandal to become a political gambit. Letadopt an independent prosecutor who could verify the allegations in just two or three days. If the allegations turn out to be false, Cho should step down,” he said.

Rep. Park Jie-won, interim leader of the largest opposition DP, said, “This will be another attempt to tarnish the reputation and dignity of the deceased President.”

Previously, Hong Man-pyo, a senior prosecutor who led the probe, said, “Cho’s comments are groundless. At the time of the investigation, Cho was not in the official command hierarchy to have access to related information.”

Cho said he made the allegations based on articles he read online. He expressed regret publicly shortly after the video of his remarks was disclosed through TV news programs.

검찰 `盧 차명계좌' 존재여부 수사 착수

서울중앙지검은 19일 노무현재단이 '차명계좌'를 언급한 조현오 경찰청장 내정자를 명예훼손 혐의로 고소ㆍ고발한 사건에 대한 수사에 본격 착수했다.

재단 측은 조 내정자가 존재하지 않는 차명계좌가 있는 것처럼 허위사실을 퍼뜨려 고 노무현 전 대통령을 모욕했다는 입장이어서 검찰로서는 사실관계를 따지기 위해 차명계좌의 존재 여부를 확인하는데 수사력을 집중할 방침이다.

이와 관련, 검찰은 지난해 노 전 대통령 관련 의혹을 수사했던 대검찰청 중앙수사부의 수사기록을 넘겨받거나 당시 수사팀 관계자들을 불러 차명계좌를 발견한 사실이 있는지 확인하는 방안을 검토 중인 것으로 알려졌다.

노무현재단은 18일 조 내정자가 지난 3월 내부 강연에서 "노 전 대통령이 차명계좌가 발견돼 자살했다"는 등의 발언으로 고인의 명예를 훼손했다며 사자(死者)의 명예훼손과 허위사실에 의한 명예훼손으로 고소ㆍ고발했다.