OSAKA - A woman accused of conspiring with a fortune teller to forge a suicide note belonging to a male follower was handed a suspended prison sentence on April 15th, in a case linked to the alleged coercion of two men into taking their own lives.
The case centers on Yoshie Hamada, 64, a fortune teller accused of inciting two male followers to commit suicide in the sea off Wakayama Prefecture six years ago, while fellow follower Sawako Terasaki, 48, was charged with assisting Hamada, including forging a suicide note for one of the men.
Terasaki admitted to the charges during the trial, and prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence, arguing that she had fully understood the purpose behind the crimes.
In its ruling on April 15th, the Osaka District Court stated that Terasaki’s act of creating and submitting forged documents was malicious, while also acknowledging that she had been instructed to cut off contact with the outside world and found it difficult to defy Hamada’s directives, ultimately sentencing her to two years in prison, suspended for four years.
Hamada’s trial is still ongoing, with her defense arguing that she should be found not guilty on the grounds of insanity.
Source: YOMIURI
