Yasumasa Shibuya, a 46-year-old Japanese national, is accused of murdering Le Thi Nhat Linh, a third grader living in Matsudo town. (Source: Asahi Shimbun/VNA) Tokyo (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in Japan showed its hope that thecase related to the murder of a 9-year-old Vietnamese girl last year will be handledstrictly and a proper sentence will be given to the murderer.
Nguyen An Tien, First Secretary in chargeof community issues at the embassy made the statement on June 4. Tien was alsopresent at the trial for Yasumasa Shibuya, a 46-year-old Japanese national,which began on the same day.
Shibuya is accused of murdering Le Thi NhatLinh, a third grader living in Matsudo town.
During the trial, he continued rejectingthe accusation, saying that evidence provided by the procuracy office iscounterfeit.
The trial is forecast to be prolonged withdebates focusing on clarifying whether evidence is persuasive enough to chargehim with the murder.
Le Anh Hao, Linh’s father, said that thebiggest aspiration of the family is to find out the truth. If proved to beguilty, the perpetrator must receive the highest penalty.
Linh disappeared shortly after leaving herhome on foot for her school on March 24, 2017. Her body was found two dayslater in Abiko, Chiba. She is thought to have been choked to death, based onmarks found on her neck.
Shibuya was arrested on April 14, 2017 onsuspicion of dumping Linh’s body. The same day, Japanese police served a newarrest warrant on the man, charging the suspect with murder and abandonment ofthe victim’s body, after tests results showed that DNA taken from Shibuyamatched those of samples found on the victim’s body.
Shibuya was head of the parents'association at the elementary school in Matsudo which the victim attended. Helives about 300 metres from the victim's home.-VNA
VNA
