“It’s a world of difference from TV…” Mrs. Devi Appears in Court: While She Generally Admits to the Charges, Here’s Why the Next Hearing Is Expected to Be “Chaotic”

In a faint voice, she barely managed to say through the microphone

The first hearing in the assault case involving defendant Devi Sukarno (86), known as “Mrs. Devi,” was held on June 23 at the Tokyo District Court.

According to the indictment, there were two incidents of assault. The defendant is accused of throwing chopsticks and a champagne glass at Victim A, a female employee at her private office, at a restaurant in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, in February ’25.

Furthermore, the defendant is alleged to have committed another assault late at night on October 28, ’25, at a veterinary clinic in Shibuya Ward, where she struck victim B—a different manager from the champagne glass incident—in the chest and abdomen.

Defendant Devi appeared in court wearing a black dress, pearl earrings, and a diamond necklace. According to a sports newspaper entertainment reporter who observed the trial, although she exuded the same elegance she displays on television,

“At the start of the trial, she was required to state her name and date of birth, but perhaps because she was so nervous, Mrs. Devi’s voice was so faint that it was barely audible through the microphone. It was a far cry from her confident, articulate speaking style on television,”

the reporter revealed, describing the scene in the courtroom.

Quite detailed video footage

presented in court, and Ms. Devi’s defense attorney

“While there are some points that are vague in my memory, I do not intend to actively deny them,”

and generally admitted to the charges.

Given this, it seemed the trial would proceed smoothly toward a verdict, but the next hearing, scheduled for September 8, is reportedly set to be “highly contentious.” A source from a television news program explains the reason as follows:

“At the next hearing, Victims A and B are scheduled to give their statements. But what’s drawing even more attention is the prosecution’s evidence. In fact, regarding the second assault incident at the veterinary clinic, there is reportedly quite detailed video footage available, and it apparently includes audio as well.”

Although Defendant Devi generally admitted her guilt at the first hearing, in the case involving Victim A, she admitted to throwing a wet towel and chopsticks but denied throwing the champagne glass. Regarding the case involving Victim B, she claims she merely shook the woman off after being pinned in a bear hug and did not punch or kick her.

“Although she has generally admitted to the charges, Mrs. Devi’s statements at the initial hearing largely refute the prosecution’s indictment.The prosecution will likely present a great deal of evidence and refute her testimony. In particular, if the video footage from inside the veterinary clinic is shown in court, it could not only verify the credibility of the testimony but also potentially damage Mrs. Devi’s public image. For her, who hopes to return to the entertainment industry, this could be a significant blow,” said the same television network source.

Mrs. Devi’s criminal trial continues to take a “turbulent” turn. What kind of testimony will emerge at the next hearing?

[YouTube] On FRIDAY Digital’s “Entertainment Reporter Channel,” active entertainment reporters provide an in-depth analysis of the behind-the-scenes details of the criminal trial in a segment titled “[Exclusive Report] Mrs. Devi: Next Court Hearing Headed for Shocking Developments—The Extremely Serious Reason the Victim Is ‘Furious.’”Drawing on their firsthand knowledge as reporters who broke the news of the two assault cases, they reveal the behind-the-scenes exchanges between Mrs. Devi and the victims. They also provide a thorough analysis of the shocking developments—which are likely to catch Mrs. Devi off guard—expected at the second hearing scheduled for September 8.