International News
Japanese Court Acquits Longest-Serving Death Row Prisoner
The world’s longest-serving death row prisoner was acquitted on Thursday, more than half a century after his murder conviction when a Japanese court ruled that evidence had been fabricated.
Ailing health prevented 88-year-old former boxer Iwao Hakamada from being in court to learn the outcome of his retrial, which was granted a decade ago after a long campaign by supporters.
But his 91-year-old sister Hideko, who often speaks for him, bowed deeply to the judge who declared Hakamada innocent.
“Everyone — we won the acquittal, it’s all thanks to your support,” she said outside the Shizuoka District Court, close to tears with her voice cracking.
Hakamada spent 46 years on death row after being convicted in 1968 of robbing and killing his boss, the man’s wife and their two teenage children.
“Investigators tampered with clothes by getting blood on them” which they then hid in a tank of miso, or fermented soybean paste, said Thursday’s ruling.
It slammed the use of “inhumane interrogations meant to force a statement… by imposing mental and physical pain”.
“The prosecution’s records were obtained by effectively infringing on the defendant’s right to remain silent, under circumstances extremely likely to elicit a false confession,” the ruling said.
Hundreds of people queued in the morning to try to secure a seat for the verdict in a murder saga that has gripped the nation and sparked scrutiny of Japan’s justice system.
Hideko told a post-trial news conference that the not guilty verdict had “sounded divine”.
She wore a white jacket and, asked before the verdict if it symbolised her brother’s innocence, said she had deliberately avoided dark colours.
‘A bout every day’
Japan is the only major industrialised democracy other than the United States to retain capital punishment, a policy that has broad public support.
Hakamada is the fifth death row inmate granted a retrial in Japan’s post-war history. All four previous cases also resulted in exonerations.
His lead lawyer Hideyo Ogawa said Hakamada sometimes seems like he “lives in a world of fantasy” after decades of detention, mostly in solitary confinement.
Describing his battle to obtain an acquittal to AFP in 2018, Hakamada said he felt he was “fighting a bout every day”.
“Once you think you can’t win, there is no path to victory,” he said.
Hakamada appeared not to be immediately aware of the decision, after Japanese media reported that supporters had removed the batteries from his TV remote control on Thursday.
Hideko had told reporters she wanted to tell him the news soon after the verdict, but at the right moment.
He was filmed shortly after the decision leaving home to go for a walk, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and a green hat.
‘Hostage justice’
Hakamada initially denied having robbed and murdered the victims in 1966 but then confessed following what he later described as a brutal police interrogation that included beatings.
Ogawa said after the verdict that 58 years had been “too long” to settle the case but “the fact that the judge found falsification on three major issues was also a very significant milestone”.
The Supreme Court upheld Hakamada’s death sentence in 1980 but his supporters kept up the fight to reopen the case.
A retrial was granted in 2014 and Hakamada was released from prison, although legal wrangling meant the proceedings only began last year.
Supporter Atsushi Zukeran, wearing a T-shirt saying “Free Hakamada Now”, said outside the court that the case was “a painful reminder of how Japan’s criminal justice system must change”.
Given how long the affair dragged on, “part of me wouldn’t be able to celebrate the acquittal entirely”, Zukeran said.
Teppei Kasai, Asia programme officer for Human Rights Watch, told AFP Hakamada’s case was “just one of countless examples of Japan’s so-called ‘hostage justice’ system”.
Amnesty International said Hakamada had endured “almost half a century of wrongful imprisonment and a further 10 years waiting for his retrial”.
Boram Jang, the rights group’s East Asia researcher, said that meant the verdict was “an important recognition of the profound injustice he endured for most of his life”.
AFP
Jeremy Doku insisted Manchester “will keep on fighting” in the Premier League title race despite their “painful” draw with Everton on Monday.
City drew 3-3 with the Toffees at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Doku scoring a 97th-minute equaliser, having also scored the opening goal.
Doku’s equaliser (96:49) is City’s third-latest goal on record (since 2006-07) in a Premier League game after John Stones’ strike against Arsenal in September 2024 (97:14) and Gabriel Jesus’ goal against Everton in February 2019 (96:52).
Doku has had a hand in six goals across his last five games for City in all competitions (four goals, two assists), as many as in his previous 22 games combined (one goal, five assists).
The Belgian also created the most chances in the match against Everton (four), completed the most dribbles (5/7) and won the most duels (14/19).
City avoided defeat in a Premier League game despite trailing by 2+ goals as late as the 82nd minute for the first time since March 2012 against Sunderland (3-3).
They went on to win the league title in 2011-12, and Doku believes City can still beat Arsenal to the trophy this season.
“First half, we played well and created a lot of chances. We know if we don’t score those chances, it is going to get difficult at the end,” said Doku.
“Obviously, they are at their own stadium, they create chances, and they are dangerous, and they scored two goals, but I think we gave them the game.
“Good that we came back because one point is not bad in games like this.
“We will see. It feels painful now. There is still a lot of games to go. We lost two points, but we know that one point can be important at the end.
“We will keep on fighting. We owe it to ourselves and to our fans.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigerians interested in repatriation from South Africa will be responsible for the cost of their return trip to Nigeria.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, stated this during a press briefing on Monday in Abuja.
The briefing came shortly after a closed-door meeting between the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dunoma Ahmed, and the South African Acting High Commissioner, Lesoli Machele.
Mr Ebienfa said the process will be self-funded and not state-funded, as it is a voluntary decision that the Nigerian government will only facilitate and coordinate.
In the recent past, such reparations have been sponsored by Nigerian airline owners, particularly Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace.
The Nigerian government, on Sunday, indicated its readiness to repatriate its citizens from South Africa due to xenophobic violence.
The effort primarily targets Nigerians who feel threatened by the xenophobic violence and tension in parts of South Africa, as the protests against black immigrants in the country continue. Two Nigerians were killed last month.
Since the announcement, about 130 Nigerians in South Africa have expressed a willingness to return home voluntarily.
Mr Ebienfa stated that the return of the Nigerians depends on their financial capacity, as they would be expected to fund their trip back home individually.
He said, “Those willing to leave are expected to approach the high commission and, given that their decision is voluntary, have the resources to fund their return to Nigeria.”
The government will not “provide an aircraft from Nigeria to convey them.”
He also noted that the speed of the repatriation process will be determined by the availability of funds.
“Yes, 130 as of this morning have registered, but actualisation would be required to have their flight ticket to move back to Nigeria.”
Mr Ebienfa also explained that Nigerians who have so far expressed interest are motivated either by concerns about threats to their lives or by fear of arrest by South African law enforcement agencies.
“There are two groups of Nigerians who want to come back. One group feels the country is not safe for them and wants to come. They have all their papers intact.
“Then there is also the second group that has travel document violations or resident permit violations. And instead of running away from law enforcement, they are appealing that the government facilitate their movement back to Nigeria,” he explained.
However, he noted that the process is still being worked out and that the government would step in to provide aircraft or other needed assistance if tensions rise and the situation becomes more volatile.
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