Orimo Hirashi [Omino Hushi] and another

032
DATE OF CRIMES
30 June 1944 - 16 August 1945
LOCATION OF CRIMES
Normanton POW Camp, Singapore
DATE OF TRIAL
10, 11, 13, 14 and 15 May 1946
LOCATION OF TRIAL
Singapore
Case Summary

The accused persons were tried for committing a war crime by being concerned in the ill-treatment of British POWs interned at Normanton POW Camp, Singapore, resulting in the deaths of many and in physical suffering to many others. Orimo was found to be in charge of the  camp and Nagayama was a guard and storeman in charge of rations and supplies. The conditions in the camp were very poor with inadequate food and medical supplies. The Japanese guards were also accused of having committed several acts of brutality. The accused persons were found to have been indifferent/contributed to these conditions by ignoring the British POWs' repeated representations regarding food, medical supplies and the removal of the sick to a hospital. The accused persons were also found to have encouraged, or participated in, the violence against the POWs.

For more information see:

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/f82f2c-1/

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/a89887/

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/c6e085/

The tribunal declared this POW camp "the worst POW working camp in Singapore during the occupation". The case was covered extensively in the media, with the conditions in the camp and the various forms of punishment inflicted on the POWs reported upon.

See: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19460512-1.2.55.aspx?q=orimo&page=1&sort=relevance&token=orimo&sessionid=a13cb6ec580344979c0c1834fa4f6df7 and http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/freepress19460516-1.2.18.4.aspx?q=orimo&page=1&sort=relevance&token=orimo&sessionid=a13cb6ec580344979c0c1834fa4f6df7