Manila Trio
Murderous trio's death penalty final
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007
Kyodo News
The Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday appeals by three men sentenced to hang for murders committed in Manila and Nagano Prefecture between 1994 and 1996 for insurance and cash theft.
Akihiro Matsumoto, 52, an import trader, and Eiichi Shimoura, 35, were found guilty on three counts of murder, and Matsumoto's twin brother, Kazuhiro, also a trader, on two counts.
The Nagoya High Court had earlier ruled that the three killed Shigeru Higashienokida, 43, a company employee from Miyazaki Prefecture, and Toshikazu Kagoi, 47, a Nagoya trade merchant, in Manila in December 1994 with the aim of obtaining insurance money.
Akihiro Matsumoto and Shimoura also murdered Shigeo Nozawa, a 24-year-old travel agency employee from Bisai, Aichi Prefecture, in Komagane, Nagano Prefecture, in May 1996 after stealing his cash card and withdrawing money.
"The Manila cases aimed at gaining insurance payments were meticulously planned, and their motives leave no room for leniency," said presiding Justice Toyozo Ueda.
The ruling brings the number of death-row inmates to 98.
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