NaijWeb Keeping you informed…
The world’s longest-serving death row inmate, 88-year-old Iwao Hakamada, has been acquitted by a Japanese court, over half a century after being sentenced to hang for murder.
The Shizuoka District Court ruled on Thursday, September 26, that Hakamada was innocent, overturning his 1968 conviction for the murder of his boss, his wife, and their two teenage children. This decision came after a retrial was ordered in 2014, based on new evidence.
Hakamada’s case, marred by allegations of forced confessions and fabricated evidence, has cast a harsh light on Japan’s criminal justice system.
The presiding judge, Koshi Kunii, criticized the “inhumane interrogations meant to force a statement” and revealed that investigators had tampered with crucial evidence, including planting blood on clothing purportedly worn by Hakamada during the crime.
His legal team has long argued that the confession was extracted through physical and mental abuse.
Amnesty International praised the ruling, with Boram Jang, an East Asia researcher, stating,
“This verdict is an important recognition of the profound injustice he endured for most of his life.”
Campaigners have called for Japan to abolish the death penalty to prevent similar cases, as Hakamada’s wrongful imprisonment underscores the irreversible damage caused by capital punishment.
Meanwhile, Hakamada’s 91-year-old sister, Hideko, who campaigned tirelessly for his freedom, expressed her relief:
“For so long, we have fought a battle that has felt endless.”
