‘No evidence to keep Japanese trader in jail’

The Quezon City prosecutor’s office has ordered the release of a Japanese national accused of stealing  ¥1.4 million from his business partner, who is also a Japanese citizen, early this week.

In a one-page resolution, assistant city prosecutor Edwin Valdez  directed the release of Oyakawa Tomoyu,  from detention at the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

“The arresting police officers have no personal knowledge about the crime, which they came to know only from the complainant. Since the latter’s story was not corroborated by any witness and there is no other evidence of the crime but his allegation, a full-blown preliminary investigation should be conducted,” Valdez said. Oyakawa was released  shortly after noon Friday.

The resolution, issued on Friday, was approved by assistant city prosecutor Rogelio Velasco, inquest division chief.

Oyakawa was subjected to inquest proceedings on Thursday night following a complaint by  Koji Sato, 61, a businessman. He was arrested the day before in Antipolo City.

In text messages to the Inquirer sent on Thursday night, Oyakawa’s lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said his client was arrested without any warrant and “on trumped up charges by his business partner.”

Valdez noted that the complaint was based solely on Sato’s allegations against Oyakawa and his three  companions, Kimura Nariyuki, Jesus Valera and Ethel Garcia.

He  directed Sato to submit further evidence to substantiate his claim that he was  robbed.