Man Who Died in Prison After Being Wrongfully Convicted of Murder 40 Years Ago Cleared Posthumously

A Japanese prisoner who died while serving a life sentence for robbery and murder has been declared innocent through a posthumous retrial.

According to local Japanese media, including the Mainichi Shimbun, the prosecution has abandoned its case for conviction in the retrial requested by the family of the late Hiromu Sakahara.

Sakahara was arrested in 1988 on charges of killing a female bar owner in 1984.

Although he confessed during the investigation, he maintained his innocence throughout his trial.

However, he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial in 1995, and the sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court in 2000.

He filed for a retrial in 2001, asserting his innocence.

Tragically, he passed away from illness in prison in 2011 at the age of 75, without ever seeing the outcome of his case.

The following year, his bereaved family continued his quest and filed for a retrial on his behalf.

In 2018, the Otsu District Court decided to open a retrial, citing new testimony that supported his alibi and previously undisclosed photos from the crime scene.

The High Court reached the same conclusion in 2024, but the prosecution appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.

The situation changed this past February when the Supreme Court dismissed the prosecution's special appeal.

Ultimately, the prosecution officially notified the court and the defense team that it would no longer pursue a guilty verdict.

The prosecution explained that it accepted the Supreme Court's final decision and, after re-examining the case records, determined that it was difficult to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Local media reported that this is the first time in history that a prisoner who had been sentenced to death or life imprisonment has been found innocent in a "posthumous retrial" after their death.

In Japan, there is growing demand for reform of the retrial system, sparked by the case of Iwao Hakamada, a former professional boxer who was cleared of murder charges after 48 years.

The Mainichi Shimbun predicted that this posthumous acquittal would have a significant impact on the discussions regarding the amendment of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which began in the House of Councillors on June 19.

(Photo: Getty Images Korea)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.