58 Years to Freedom: Iwao Hakamada’s Thoughts and the Unwavering Support of His 91-Year-Old Sister
The retrial court found that the investigative agency falsified evidence.
“We’ve finally won completely.”
“The Defendant is Not Guilty”
The strong voice of the presiding judge echoed through the courtroom. At that moment, a quiet cheer of “Yes!” could be heard from the gallery.
On September 26 at 2:02 p.m., the retrial of Iwao Hakamada (88), who had been arrested and convicted on charges of robbery and murder, was held at the Shizuoka District Court, where he was declared not guilty.
Hakamada was arrested in 1966 for allegedly murdering four members of the family of an executive at the miso manufacturing company where he worked. He had consistently maintained his innocence, yet in 1980, his death sentence was finalized. His defense team, disputing the verdict, requested a retrial. In 2014, the Shizuoka District Court ruled to begin retrial proceedings and ordered his release. Although this decision was once overturned by the Tokyo High Court, the Supreme Court remanded the case, leading to a retrial granted in 2023. In this latest ruling, the crucial evidence for Hakamada’s death sentence was determined to have been fabricated by the police and prosecution in collusion.
The day after the verdict, Hakamada’s sister Hideko (91), who had supported him for many years, spread out the morning newspapers on the table, all prominently displaying the news of his acquittal on their front pages.
“Look, Iwao, they’ve issued the not guilty verdict. It says the court has recognized the fabrication of three pieces of evidence.”
“……”
Hakamada read the articles intently, remaining silent throughout. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the passage of so many years, crying in silence within. In his place, Hideko reflected on the verdict.
“The word not guilty sounded divine to me. I don’t remember much of what was said after that,” she said, smiling.
On September 29, three days after the ruling, Hakamada attended a gathering in Shizuoka City to report his acquittal. Appearing in a wheelchair, he addressed the public for the first time.
“The words not guilty were something I could hardly wait for. The victory of innocence has come to full fruition. We’ve finally won everything completely. I’m happy to be here in front of you all today.”
In front of many supporters, Hakamada savored the freedom he had regained after 58 long years.
From the October 18-25, 2024 issue of FRIDAY
PHOTO： Courtesy of Hakamada Support Club (top), Yusuke Aoyagi (bottom)
