Awakuni Riyosuke and another

Case Summary

The defendants Awakuni and Yamaguchi were in charge of Indian coolies, including victim Chet Ram, all of whom were working at Alipur on Andaman Islands. On or about 1 June 1945, Chet Ram was absent from morning roll call. Defendants Awakuni and Yamaguchi went to look for Chet Ram and brought him to the place of assembly, before tying him to a pole and beating him unconscious. He was revived and beaten again, and subsequently died from the beating.

Fateh Mohamed was a coolie working under second defendant Yamaguchi at Alipur. On or about 1 June 1945, Fateh Mohamed was given leave of absence by another Japanese and went to the village of Aberdeen. Yamaguchi discovered Fateh Mohamed selling sugar cane at the bazaar. Charging Fateh Mohamed with being absent without leave, Yamaguchi beat Fateh Mohamed continuously with a stick on their 3-mile journey back to Chatham Jetty. Thereat, Yamaguchi tied Fateh Mohamed to a pole and beat him again. After the party crossed to the other side, Yamaguchi beat Fateh Mohamed once more and the latter died there. 

For more information see:

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/408b9c/

In their petition against sentence, the defendants cited previous instances where Japanese offenders were sentenced to life imprisonment for similar acts of beating their victims to death. However, the Department of the Judge Advocate General's review report advised that the death sentence be upheld and that the said Japanese offenders sentenced to life imprisonment could be considered fortunate.