Murakami Seisaku and others

Case Summary

The four defendants were accused of being involved in the arrest, interrogation and torture of 17 civilians in Sibu, British Borneo (present-day Malaysia). The victims were beat up with sticks and subjected to 'water treatment', thereby resulting in the deaths of two victims, Hu Hing Kiew and Ting So Moo.

The chief of the Kempeitai Section in Sibu, Lieutenant Murakami Seisaku, initially pleaded not guilty, but later admitted that he was responsible for all that took place in the Kempeitai. Murakami was sentenced to suffer death by shooting. His subordinates were sentenced to life imprisonment. 

For more information see:

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/4412cb/

It was stated in his petition that the first defendant, Lieutenant Murakami Seisaku, was a famous painter back in Japan who drew European-style oil and water paintings, but was more skilful in "Japanese drawing of beautiful women". Additionally, Murakami was then "pleasing the guards of the Changi Gaol by sketching their faces". 

It was also stated that Murakami was of mild character and his appointment as the chief of the Kempeitai Branch of Sibu was of service to Japan, and that all he desired then was to "draw, sketech and portrait of beautiful women for the high officers of the Allied forces".

The petition was subsequently dismissed.