Life Sentence Sought for “Luffy” Crime Ring Member

Tokyo, Feb. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese prosecutors Thursday sought a life sentence for Toshiya Fujita, a senior member of a crime ring behind a series of robbery and fraud cases across the country. The lay-judge trial for 41-year-old Fujita at Tokyo District Court, presided over by judge Sakon Togari, concluded with the defense’s final arguments. The verdict is set to be handed down Feb. 16. On Thursday, the prosecution stated in their closing arguments that Fujita was aware of the use of a crowbar in the fatal assault of a 90-year-old woman in Komae, Tokyo, in a high-profile robbery in the series of cases. The prosecution also said he was involved in the planning for all of the robberies and played a central role in orchestrating the criminal incidents. “Without getting his own hands dirty, he made a lot of profit while using the perpetrators like disposable tools,” the prosecution said, calling the cases “heinous and grave incidents with no precedent.” The defense reiterated that Fujita “was an accomplice,” asserting that he was involved in the robberies from a subordinate position and did not receive any reward. In his final statement, Fujita extended apologies to the victims, adding, “I hope people who want to do ‘yami baito’ illegal jobs due to financial difficulties will give up the idea.” The defendant and other senior members of the Philippines-based crime ring, who called themselves “Luffy,” are accused of having instructed people they recruited through social media to carry out robberies, including the Komae case in January 2023. Another senior ring member, 48-year-old Tomonobu Kojima, is appealing a 20-year prison term handed down by a high court on charges including aiding a robbery resulting in injury. The trials of two other senior members charged with robbery resulting in death–Yuki Watanabe and Kiyoto Imamura, both 41–have yet to begin. According to his indictment, Fujita conspired with perpetrators and got involved in seven robbery cases between October 2022 and January 2023 in Tokyo and three other prefectures, including an incident in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]