SEOUL: An 80-year-old man suspected of rape was not arrested by the local police and was left unsupervised by the authorities.
They later stated that he was very old and not likely to flee from the charges.
The Straits Times reported that the suspect, whose identity was kept confidential, was accused of assaulting an 80-year-old woman in her apartment in Nonsan, South Chungcheong province, on June 2.
The victim's son witnessed the attack and subdued the suspect in a scuffle before handing him over to the police.
Despite having the suspect in custody, the police did not detain him, instead sending him home after conducting an on-site investigation.
Considering the suspect's age and known place of residence, law enforcement officials decided that he posed no threat of fleeing.
South Korean law states that anyone apprehended in the commission of a crime can be arrested by anyone, including non-law enforcement individuals, without a warrant.
The law also stipulates that the police can arrest a suspect without a warrant if there is probable cause to believe that they have committed a crime punishable by at least three years of imprisonment.
The police stated that the initial actions taken by authorities in the incident took into account the suspect's age.
The police requested the prosecutor's office to charge the man with rape and causing injury but did not detain him or take any further steps other than issuing a warning for him to stay away from the victim.
"(The suspect) is still freely roaming the neighborhood. He is free, while my mother is almost imprisoned." said the victim's son. -- Agencies