News
Court exonerates world’s longest-serving death-row prisoner after 50 years
How would it feel to spend a whole 50 years inside the prison world with death practically staring you in the face, knowing that you are innocent of the offence for which you were accused, tried and convicted and about to die, only for you to be vindicated and eventually freed?
This is the mystery only Iwao Hakamada, 88-year-old Japanese, now holding the unenviable record as the world’s longest-serving death row prisoner could solve after he was acquitted on Thursday, more than half a century after his murder conviction, with a Japanese court, which earlier convicted him for murder, finally exonerating him, having found that evidence that led to his ordeal, were trumped up.
Hakamada, the former youthful boxer bubbling with energy, now a frail, ailing old man, had his freedom eventually pronounced by a judge in the Japanese court following the outcome of his retrial, which even took another stretch of 10 years to decide after was released from prison in 2014, based on new evidence that he could be innocent and strident advocacy by humanitarian bodies.
Though Hakamada, was not in court to witness the verdict, his 91-year-old sister Hideko, who he now presently lives with bowed deeply to the judge who declared Hakamada innocent, saying: “Everyone — we won the acquittal, it’s all thanks to your support.”
The nonagenarian, who was said to be an advocate of her brother’s innocence and spoken for him, was said to have spoken amid welling tears and cracking voices, outside the Shizuoka District Court, as she betrayed much her emotions, apparently in recollection of the ordeal the family went through as Hakamada spent 46 years on death row after being convicted in 1968 of robbing and killing his boss, wife and their two teenage children.
The deceased victims were said to have been stabbed multiple times, when their bodies were retrieved from the wreck of their homes, said to have engulfed by fire, believed to have been set by their killer, but the evidence that nailed Hakamada, was the blood-stained clothes which was seen at the scene of the crime.
But the court, which had convicted him on the evidence, had on Thursday held that the blood did not match his after a DNA test and forensic analysis, with revelations that the investigators actually deliberately smeared the clothes with the blood to nail him.
The young man was said to have beaten repeatedly by interrogators to accept culpability for the crime after an initial denial, a development, which the court captured thus: “Inhumane interrogations meant to force a statement… by imposing mental and physical pain.
“The prosecution’s records were obtained by effectively infringing on the defendant’s right to remain silent, under circumstances extremely likely to elicit a false confession.”
The court session was said to have been witnessed by hundreds of people, who queued in the morning to try to secure a seat for the verdict in the case which ended in Hakamada’s favour, though, Japanese media say that prosecutors have two weeks to appeal.
Review of death row cases are said to be quite few in Japan, one of the few major industrialised democracies still retaining capital punishment, with Hakamada being the fifth death row inmate granted a retrial in Japan’s post-war history, with the other four, resulting in exonerations, which has strengthened the push for deeper and stronger overview of the justice system in the country.
Hideyo Ogawa, Hakamada’s lawyer, told reporters that his client “sometimes seems like he lives in a world of fantasy after decades of detention, mostly in solitary confinement. He felt he was fighting a bout every day. Once you think you can’t win, there is no path to victory.”
Hakamada, who appeared not to be immediately aware of the decision, after Japanese media reported that supporters had removed the batteries from his TV remote control on Thursday, was filmed shortly after the decision leaving home to go for a walk, dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and a green hat.
The Supreme Court upheld Hakamada’s death sentence in 1980 but his supporters kept up the fight to reopen the case, which led to the granting of retrial in 2014, leading to his release from prison, with nine more years of waiting for the process to commence last year.
Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the 2023 presidential election, on Tuesday, scoffed at the 45 million vote figure he supposedly scored during the primaries of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), dismissing it as fake.
Obi, sole candidate of the party for the presidential primaries in the 2027 election, attributed the development to the handiwork of forces pushing for the validation of fraud, an obvious shade at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which on Monday announced President Bola Tinubu as its candidate, with a whopping 11 million votes.
A groundswell of Nigerians had expressed amazement the huge figure, dismissing it as not only outrageously improbable but outrightly false and a gambit to skew the narrative early enough for a more sinister political gameplan ahead of the presidential election.
Obi, whose reaction came through his media office, while toeing the same line on Tuesday, urged Nigerians to disregard the figures being attributed to him, saying the NDC was yet to hold its primaries to determine his votes.
The statement, read: “The attention of the Peter Obi Media Office has been drawn to certain 45m primary vote figures currently circulating on social media and various news platforms, purporting to be the breakdown of official results from an imaginary primary by the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC ascribed to Mr Peter Obi.
“We wish to state categorically that these figures are entirely false, fabricated, as such, the primary never took place and no figure was generated from any process. We urge the general public, party supporters, and members of the press and the public to completely disregard these misleading statistics.
“Official and accurate information regarding Mr Peter Obi’s engagements and political processes will always be communicated through our verified and authorised channels and appropriately signed. Those behind this fraudulent figure attribution to Peter Obi are looking for partners in their fraud but they should look elsewhere not with Peter Obi.”
For President Bola Tinubu, it was another occasion of chest-beating, as he claimed to have ended Nigeria’s painful journey through the dark tunnel of economic trials, promising that in no long time, citizens would begin to experience the benefits of their long suffering in the last three years.
The President, who for the umpteenth time implored Nigerians not to despair, conveyed his message of hope and inspiration came by way of his 2026 Eid-El-Kabir salute to the Muslim faithful whom he referred as “our brothers and sisters across Nigeria and worldwide.”
Hear him: “As a nation, we are on a journey of reconstruction and renewal. The reforms we have undertaken are challenging but necessary to build a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria for future generations.
“Just as sacrifice brings reward, I am happy that the sacrifices and efforts we have made over the past three years have yielded a more stable economy, making our country a preferred investment destination that will drive job creation and economic growth. The walk through the dark tunnel is over, and the light is here.
“I am confident that, by the Grace of God, the reforms we have diligently pursued will continue to yield improved security and greater opportunities for all.
“I am aware that, despite the best efforts of our security and intelligence agencies—including the recent elimination of a wanted ISIS leader—heartless terrorists and bandits still attack some communities. I assure you: you are neither abandoned nor forgotten. We will ultimately defeat all the forces of evil.
“One central lesson of Eid-el-Kabir is the call to show mercy and compassion, regardless of race, ethnicity, or creed. There is no greater example of duty and devotion than Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to offer his only son, Ismail, as a sacrifice to Allah.
“Let us also reach out to the less privileged, share with our neighbours, and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood that unite us as one people. My administration remains committed to building a Nigeria where all citizens can live in peace, worship freely, and pursue their dreams without fear.”
Urging the faithful to use this sacred occasion to pray for Nigeria for peace in our communities, and for wisdom for those in leadership, he added: “Let us pray that those who commit crimes among us may rethink and abandon their evil ways or face the full weight of the law.
“On behalf of the government, I wish you all a peaceful, joyous, and blessed Eid al-Kabir. May Allah accept our sacrifices and prayers, and may He continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Option A4, occupies a central place in Nigeria’s democratic development. That unique election model developed and introduced in the Nigerian electoral process by Humphrey Nwosu, the late Professor of Political Science, has become a symbol mounted on a standard and raised high above the sky.
It is Nigeria’s mimic of that biblical golden serpent to which both the nation and its citizens look up at and derive instant succour – much like a balm to their heavily-lacerated democratic soul – a wonder device, that once mesmerised the world.
Yes! Anytime Nigerians want to serenade their democratic spirit with the allure of sweetness, they take a recourse to that unique event that happened more than three decades ago, on June 12, 1993. They reminisce on the purity of the process and beauty of the outcome.
Like the saying that precious things come in simple packages, Option A4, was not only as simple as simplicity itself, but was as powerful as the most impactive dynamite – simple enough to break all barriers of ignorance and powerful enough to destroy all electoral bad behaviours defacing the beautiful perspective of democracy.
Here is the process. Voters converge on a location at approved time, get accredited, queue behind preferred candidates, get counted and the votes recorded in approved result sheets. Finish! No ballot-snatching, no ballot-stuffing, no quarrel, no thuggery, no blood on the floor.
Even the issue of proper voting that lead to void votes is eradicated by the process. The electorates need no education on how to vote properly. The issue of thumb-printing in the wrong space or double-voting is taken care of.
Today, in Nigeria, June 12 is designated as Democracy Day, based on the outcome of that election. It was so seamless and produced such a perfect result that the product – Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola was never challenged on the inviolability, but on the other ideas the military government in power then had.
But did you see the same Option A4 put to test under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu? Did you watch the primaries of the All Progressive Congress (APC), at various stages, including the one that produced the President as candidate of the party in the 2027 presidential election? If you did, you would understand where your country is currently and where it is headed.
How could anyone have the mindset to deface such a beauty, let alone design a mechanism to destroy it, given its centrality as the bastion of Nigerian democratic commemorations? How could anyone be so wicked as to destroy the most beautiful Nigerian democratic ornament?
It is like pulling the original of Monalisa or the best of Bini Bronze from their protective encasements and smashing them on the floor. It takes a mindset that has scant regard for beauty – a destructive spirit to do so.
But see how easily they did it! See how simple it was for them. It was as easy as jumping from 10 to 1,000 in a simple counting process a primary school child could do.
Did you see the smiles on their faces to indicate how much fun they had supervising the putrid, outlandish and parlous construct – like the lurid expression of a rapist seeking to satiate his lust? Clearly, it did not matter to them the danger they’re putting themselves and future generations – comprising their children and grandchildren, Tragedy!
But what is it that Tinubu and his co-travellers have not destroyed since happening on Nigeria? What pain have they not wrought on the polity? Is it the economy? Think of those rich Nigerians alighting from their fancy cars and jumping into the Lagos Lagoon.
Is it security? Reminisce on the last moments of General Sani Uba, as he watched the approach of the terrorists while crouching on his knees in the forest, having lost the vain hope that his country would save him.
Think of the Oyo school teacher in that final moment as he waited for the impact of that sharp knife on his bare throat, while being slaughtered like a goat at the abattoir. Think of Zamfara, think of Sokoto, think of Kwara, think of Anambra – add to the list – think Nigeria.
Yet, the APC foot-soldiers – including a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives – a leader in the legislature – the most important institution of democracy – clowned, jested and had fun.
For them, the rest of the country doesn’t matter. All that matters is Tinubu’s happiness. And the master-strategist, the democratic doyen, the June 12-NADECO icon, was all and about, grinning from ear to ear and lapping everything up.
With economy destroyed from day-one with the impulsive, brainwave – subsidy is gone declaration – with security in tatters that school children, now scurry and scamper in different directions like scared rodents, at the slightest sight of strange faces for fear of being the next kidnap victims – with the national fibric almost giving way from the consistent and unrelenting pressure in running the most nepotistic administration – far worse than the days of the late Muhammadu Buhari, thought to be the worst at a time – what else remains of Nigeria?
Before now, I had grieved that Tinubu deliberately left out Humphery Nwosu in that outlandish June 12 struggle honourees list, when he ought to be the numero uno. I had hoped however that someday, someone more amenable than Tinubu would do the needful. But what hope is there now that Tinubu and his men are tightening the noose on Nigerian democracy? Now this!
The worst part is not that the APC goons committed this heinous atrocity, but in the manner they did. They enjoyed the process. Only mindless characters such as mafia kingpins we watch in movies, take pleasure in inflicting pains. That we now watch such playing out in real life is not only disturbing, it is THE TRAGEDY!
My name is Sunny Igboanugo, I’m The Tiny Voice!
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