Appeal trial over 2017 murder of Vietnamese girl in Japan opens
The Tokyo High Court on September 26 began hearing an appeal against a lower court ruling that sentenced a Japanese man to life in prison over the murder of a Vietnamese girl in 2017.
Le Anh Hao, Linh's father, holds a picture of the girl on his way to the trial held for Yasumasa Shibuya (Photo: VNA)
Tokyo (VNA) - The Tokyo HighCourt on September 26 began hearing an appeal against a lower court ruling thatsentenced a Japanese man to life in prison over the murder of a Vietnamese girlin 2017.
Le Thi Nhat Linh, a third grader at MutsumiDaini Elementary School in Matsudo, Chiba prefecture, went missing on March 24,2017, and was found dead near a drainage ditch in the city of Abiko two dayslater. Yasumasa Shibuya, a 48-year-old former head of a parents group at thegirl’s school, was arrested on April 14 on suspicion of dumping Linh’s body.
The Chiba District Court convicted Shibuyaon grounds that DNA matching his was found on the nine-year-old girl’s body andDNA in blood found in his vehicle matched the girl’s. On July 6, 2018, the manwas sentenced to life imprisonment.
However, prosecutors appealed the ruling, asLe Anh Hao, the girl’s father refuted the verdict. They said the Japanese tookadvantage of his position to deceive and murder Linh rather than protecting heras he was supposed to. According to them, the ruling did not match his ruthlessaction.
Shibuya continues to profess his innocence.
The next hearings are scheduled for November29 and January 31, 2020./.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan showed its hope that the case related to the murder of a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl last year will be handled strictly and a proper sentence will be given to the murderer.
Japanese prosecutors have demanded a death penalty for Yasumasa Shibuya, a Japanese man who has been accused of murdering a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl in Chiba prefecture on March 24 last year.
A Japanese court on July 6 sentenced Yasumasa Shibuya to life in prison over the 2017 murder of a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl in Chiba prefecture, according to the Kyodo news agency.
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Le Anh Hao, Linh's father, holds a picture of the girl on his way to the trial held for Yasumasa Shibuya (Photo: VNA) 
