89-Year-Old Man Sentenced To Death in 1968 Gets N2.1 Billion After He Was Declared Innocent

• A man from Japan has been set free after he spent over 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit
• Iwao Hakamata was wrongly sentenced after being accused of murdering his boss’ wife and their two children
• However, it has been discovered that he did not commit the crime, and he has been awarded $1.4 million (2,150,582,000) as compensation

A man who stayed in prison from 1968 to 2014 has been declared innocent, and he is set to be compensated.

The Japanese man, Iwao Hakamata, was convicted of a crime he did not commit, and he was sentenced to death.

Hakamata had stayed in prison, waiting for his hanging until 2014 when new evidence led to his release.

The case was retried, and in 2024, Hakamata was declared innocent. Now, he is set to be compensated by the government for the wrongful detention which took the better part of his life.

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Hakamata, who is now 89, was working at a soybean processing plant in Shizuoka, central Japan, when he was arrested by the police.

He was charged and wrongfully convicted for the murder of his boss’ wife and their two children, who were found stabbed to death in their home.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to the crime but later changed his plea, insisting that the police tortured and threatened him to obtain it.

His victory came after a DNA test showed that the bloodstained clothing which authorities used to convict him was planted before the murders.

Hakamata has been awarded $1.4 million (2,150,582,000) as compensation. The money paid to him represents about US$85 per day since he was found guilty, CNN reports, citing a Shizuoka District Court.

Money can't compensate Iwao Hakamata's suffering

Speaking on the development, Hakamata's lawyer, Hideyo Ogawa, described the money as the highest ever paid for a wrongful conviction in Japan.

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He, however, said the amount would not atone for the suffering and humiliation meted against Hakamata.

He said:

“I think the state (government) has made a mistake that cannot be atoned for with 200 million yen."

Also speaking, Hakamata’s sister, Hideko, who has always campaigned for his release, noted that the long detention destroyed her brother's mental health. She said the 89-year-old man is unable to recognise reality.

Her words:

Hakamata was “living in his own world. Sometimes he smiles happily, but that’s when he’s in his delusion… We have not even discussed the trial with Iwao because of his inability to recognize reality.”

Another man set free from prison after pardon

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Segun Olowookere, and his collaborator, Sunday Morakinyo, were set to be released following a recent pardon by Osun state Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Olowookere, currently studying nursing at a correctional center, has shown exceptional resilience and determination, earning commendations for his behavior.

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The Monsurat Ajoke Foundation has been pivotal in advocating for his release, highlighting his journey of growth and redemption.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng