Sumida Haruzo and others
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DATE OF CRIMES
October 1943
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LOCATION OF CRIMES
YMCA Building, Singapore
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DATE OF TRIAL
18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, 30 March 1946
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15 April 1946 |
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LOCATION OF TRIAL
Singapore
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Case Summary
The 21 defendants involved were charged with the ill-treatment by beating, torture and inhuman treatment of individuals interned at the Kempeitai Headquarters located in the YMCA Building. They ranged from the commanding officer of the Kempeitai unit to local interpretors who had worked for the Japanese Imperial Army, while the victims were largely civilians who had been arrested in the aftermath of the 'Double Tenth Incident' which took place on 30 September 1943. The Double Tenth Incident was a series of anti-Japanese sabotage acts that led to an island-wide clamp down on anti-Japanese persons or persons affiliated with anti-Japanese supporters. Out of the 21 defendants, eight were sentenced to death by hanging including one, Toh Swee Koon, whom the Court held was a traitor to his country.
For more information see:
http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/ab8593/
Defendant 20, Miyazaki Kasuo, was born in Perak to a Malay father and Japanese mother. He was unsure of his nationality as he had both Malay and Japanese names. Defendant 19, Toh Swee Koon, was from Singapore.
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS
Defendant 20, Miyazaki Kasuo, was born in Perak to a Malay father and Japanese mother. He was unsure of his nationality as he had both Malay and Japanese names.
DEFENDANTS
Sumida, Haruzo. Lieutenant Colonel. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Monai, Tadamori. Warrant Officer. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Umeda, Hisao. Warrant Officer. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Sakamoto, Shigeru. Warrant Officer. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Life imprisonment. Sentence confirmed.
Makizono, Masuo. Sergeant Major. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Terada, Takao. Sergeant Major. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Nozawa, Toichiro. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Tsugio, Shigeo. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Takeuchi, Noboru. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Morita, Shozo. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Death by hanging. Sentence confirmed.
Kataoka, Masaki. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Sugimoto, Heikichi. Staff Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Sugimoto, Kozo. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. 8 years' imprisonment. Sentence confirmed.
Kasahara, Hideo. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Guilty. Life imprisonment. Sentence confirmed.
Yamauchi, Satori. Sergeant. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Murata, Yoshitaro. Private. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Tanaka, Toshiro. Private. From Japanese military. From Japan. Not guilty.
Nigo, Masayoshi. Civilian. From Japan. Guilty. Life imprisonment. Sentence confirmed.
Toh, Swee Koon. Civilian. From Singapore. Guilty. Sentence not confirmed.
Miyazaki, Kasuo. Civilian. From Perak, Malaya (present-day Malaysia). Guilty. Sentence not confirmed.
Chan, Eng Thiam. Civilian. From Formosa (present-day Taiwan). Guilty. 8 years' imprisonment. Sentence confirmed.
JUDGES
Silkin S.C. Lieutenant Colonel. From British military. Court president. Barrister-at-law.
Hodgins S.F. Major. From Australian military.
Topping R.J. Captain. From British Indian Army.
PROSECUTION
Sleeman, S.C. Lieutenant Colonel. From British military. Barrister-at-law.
Hibbert, A.A. Captain. From British military.
DEFENCE LAWYERS
Hori, Masakaya. Advocate of District Courts in Japan. Stated in trial records as Mori, Masakazu.
Suzuki, Hisakazu. Advocate of District Courts in Japan.
DEFENCE ADVISORY OFFICERS
Wilkinson. Lieutenant. From British military.