By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Newsunplug KenyaNewsunplug KenyaNewsunplug Kenya
  • News
    • Metro
    • Politics
    • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Spotify
Reading: After 45 years on death row, a Japanese man was found not guilty of any murders.
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Newsunplug KenyaNewsunplug Kenya
Font ResizerAa
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Spotify
  • News
    • Metro
    • Politics
    • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Spotify
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Newsunplug Kenya > Blog > News > After 45 years on death row, a Japanese man was found not guilty of any murders.
News

After 45 years on death row, a Japanese man was found not guilty of any murders.

Ivy Irungu
Last updated: September 27, 2024 5:12 am
Ivy Irungu
9 months ago
Share
SHARE

An 88-year-old Japanese man, Iwao Hakamada, who is believed to have spent the longest time on death row globally, was acquitted of murder on Thursday, bringing an end to a nearly 60-year-long ordeal.

The Shizuoka district court cleared Hakamada of the 1966 murders of four people in the central Japanese region, marking a significant victory for his family, particularly his sister, Hideko Hakamada, who had fought tirelessly for decades to prove his innocence.

“When I heard the words ‘not guilty,’ I was so moved and happy, I couldn’t stop crying,” Hideko said in an emotional televised briefing.

Hakamada had spent 45 years on death row before being released in 2014 when a court ordered a retrial, raising serious doubts about the evidence used to convict him.

He had been accused of stabbing his former boss and his family to death and setting their home on fire. Although Hakamada briefly confessed to the crime, he later retracted his confession, maintaining his innocence. Despite his retraction, he was sentenced to death in 1968, a sentence upheld by Japan’s Supreme Court in 1980.

READ MORE  Security officers deployed in parts of Nairobi, roads leading to State House barricaded

One of the three judges in the original trial, Norimichi Kumamoto, later expressed his belief in Hakamada’s innocence, petitioning for a retrial in 2008. However, this request was initially denied by the Supreme Court.

The case gained renewed momentum when Hakamada’s lawyers presented DNA evidence showing that the blood on the clothing, supposedly belonging to Hakamada, was not his. This new evidence played a pivotal role in securing his acquittal.

Amnesty International hailed the court’s decision as a “pivotal moment for justice,” calling for Japan to abolish the death penalty. The rights group described the verdict as an “important recognition of the profound injustice” Hakamada endured for most of his life.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, refrained from commenting on the individual case but acknowledged the court’s ruling.

Governor Bii appeals to Generation Z to give dialogue a chance.
Chinese loans to Africa plummet to near two-decade low – study
Red Carpet reception for President Raisi at State House
How KRA exploits clashing court rulings to hit taxpayers with backdated charges
Jill Biden contracts Covid: White House
Share This Article
Facebook Email Print
Previous Article Resuming the search for the two people who perished in a dam near Machakos
Next Article Key rate to be lowered by CBK to encourage credit uptake
about us

We influence 20 million users and is the number one business and technology news network on the planet.

Recent Posts

  • I’m afraid of returning to Liverpool – Salah reacts to Jota’s death
  • Man arraigned for allegedly swindling Ksh.4.1 million in car sale scam
  • Congo, M23 rebels plan return to Qatar talks amid Trump pressure
  • US House passes Donald Trump’s controversial ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’
  • Blac Chyna calls off engagement to rapper Derrick Milano

Recent Comments

No comments to show.
Newsunplug KenyaNewsunplug Kenya
© Newsunplug Kenya. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?