Japanese man acquitted after 45 years in prison

On September 26, the Shizuoka District Court acquitted 88-year-old Iwao Hakamada in a retrial of the 1966 murder of four people in central Japan.

Hideko Hakamada, who has fought for decades to clear her brother's name, said it was a relief to hear the verdict of "not guilty" in court. "When I heard it, I was so moved and happy, I couldn't stop crying," she shared in a televised press conference.

Supporters of Iwao Hakamada celebrate after the Shizuoka District Court acquitted the 88-year-old former professional boxer. Photo: Kyodo

Iwao Hakamada spent 45 years in prison awaiting execution before a court ordered his release and a retrial in 2014 amid doubts about the evidence convicting him.

The former boxer, who has been living with his sister since his release, has been accused of stabbing his former boss and his family to death and then setting their house on fire.

Although he briefly admitted to the murder, he later retracted his confession and pleaded not guilty during the trial, but was still sentenced to death in 1968, a sentence upheld by the Supreme Court of Japan in 1980.

Norimichi Kumamoto, one of the three Shizuoka court judges who sentenced Hakamada to death, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court for a retrial in 2008, but it was rejected.

Mr. Hakamada's lawyer argued that the DNA test on the blood found on the victim's clothing did not show his blood.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-nhat-ban-duoc-tuyen-trang-an-sau-45-nam-ngoi-tu-post314086.html