Tokumaru Daizo and others

Case Summary

The first defendant Staff Sergeant Tokumaru Daizo was an investigator at the Oxley Rise Kempeitai Headquarters while the second defendant Sergeant Taki Tadayoshi was an interrogator there. The third defendant Josef Kutron was an informant working for them. An alleged spy ring was said to have existed in Singapore and the 3 defendants were charged with the ill-treatment of the civilian suspects through beatings, water and electrical torture. Most of the suspects were involved in the operation of a cafe in Singapore. The first and second defendants were found guilty while the third defendant was not found not guilty. However the third defendant was specifically charged with the ill-treatment of a Joseph Henson and was found guilty of that charge.

For more information see:

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/3c2b38/

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/d12d76/

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/415eb1/

http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/fe4a12/

The case seems to centre around allegations of espionage by a café owner and its various implications such as collaboration and the backdrop of a falling out between some of the victims and the third defendant over a female love interest. The third defendant's occupation was noted by the court as magician. The court moved to Oxley Rise to better understand the crime during the witnesses' testimony.

There was also Singapore press coverage of this case:

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19470225-1.2.88.aspx