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wo 235/819: terada takao (寺田隆夫) and 4 others
8-19 FEBRUARY 1946
ACCUSED
1) Staff Sergeant Terada Takao (寺田隆夫) 2) Warrant Officer Hirazawa Atsusi (平澤淳) 3) Staff Sergeant Shin Shigetoshi (新重俊) 4) Corporal Hase Ryosoku (?) 5) Private Murata Yoshitaro (村田芳太郎) CHARGE(S) Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment VICTIM(S) Lam Keong Kong, Wong Pin (died), Lam Nai Fook, Seah Ngee Khay (died), Mdm Lim Guet Keow, Lam Nai Peng (died), Low Kiang Pin DATE OF CRIME(S) Nov 1942, Oct 1944, Nov 1944 LOCATION(S) OF CRIME(S) Singapore LOCATION OF TRIAL Singapore TRIAL DATE(S) 8-9, 11-16, 18-19 Feb 46 PRESIDENT Lt. Col. S.C. Silkin, Royal Artillery, Barrister-at-law* *There are two SC Silkins in Royal Artillery regiment, one with service number 22248, a Mentioned in Despatches (MID) commendation who was involved in North West Europe theatre and D-Day; the other a Lieutenant with Temporary Captain rank from 12 Nov 1943 MEMBERS Maj. N.K. Sinha, 8th Battalion Kumoun (Kumaon)* *Most likely Nita Gopal Sinha, attached to Indian Army Regiment, with MID commendation and served in Burma & Eastern Frontier of India Capt. R.J. Topping, 6/8 Punjab* * Indian Army Regiment |
PROSECUTOR
Lt. Col. J.C. Stewart, Dept of the J.A.G. in India DEFENDING OFFICER Lt. Col. Blakemore (Translator: Capt. K. Kumisuka/ Kumizuka?) WITNESS(ES) FOR DEFENCE Capt. Kumasuka [sic?] (Kumisuka/Kumizuka) Hirazawa Atsusi Mayasaki Kazuo WITNESS(ES) FOR PROSECUTION Lam Fan Wui Lam Keong Kong Lam Nai Fook Lim Guet Keow Low Keng Low Kiang Pin Major M.G.A. Watson PLEA Not Guilty VERDICT Guilty (except Terada) SENTENCE Terada (acquitted) Hirazawa (Death by hanging) Shin (Death by hanging) Hase (5 years imprisonment) Murata (14 years imprisonment) |
Charges
The alleged crimes were committed at East District Kempeitai HQ located at YMCA and Kim Leong, a detention centre on Smith Street, between 1942 and 1944 in Singapore.
First Charge against all 5 accused/defendants
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Lam Keong Kong, Wong Pin and Lam Nai Fook, leading to death of Wong Pin.
Second Charge against Hase and Murata
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Lam Nai Peng, leading to death
Third Charge against Hase
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Seah Ngee Khay and Lim Guet Keow, leading to death of Seah Ngee Khay
Fourth Charge against Hirazawa and Murata
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Low Kiang Pin
Defence
Terada: Instructed by superior officer, Lt. Col. Sumida, to make arrests and obtain statements, using torture if necessary.
Hirazawa: Was present but did not participate in interrogation himself.
Shin: Was present and assisted in the interrogation under the orders of Hirazawa.
Hase: Carried out orders of Shin Shigetoshi in torturing Lam Keong Kong, not involved in Lam Nai Peng's interrogation, had reported to Hirazawa that he believed Lam Nai Peng was mad.
Murata: Was present at the interrogation of Lam Keong Kong but did not participate, had reported to Hirazawa that Lam Nai Peng was mad.
Hirazawa and Shin's defence (from accused's court testimony) : Kempeitai Commander demanded information and results at all costs, that they were compelled to obey orders and that responsibility should lie with Kempeitai Commander. Apart from beatings and water treatment, other methods were also used to extract information and confessions, including pins inserted under the finger nails and stomping on a prisoner's thighs while he was kneeling.
Defendants' Service Record, Plea, Verdict and Sentences
1) Staff Sergeant Terada Takao (寺田隆夫)
Personal details not available.
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Not Guilty. Sentence: Acquitted.
2) Warrant Officer Hirazawa Atsusi (平澤淳)
Age: 36. Married. Four children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 15 years - Korea (Dec 1930-May 1944), Singapore (June 1944-Sept 1945).
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first and fourth charge. Sentence: Death by hanging.
3) Staff Sergeant Shin Shigetoshi (新重俊)
Age: 29. Single. No children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 8 years 7 months - Manchuria (Jan 1937-May 1937), Japan (May 1937-Sept 1942), Singapore (Sept 1942-Aug 1945).
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first and third charge. Sentence: Death by hanging.
4) Corporal Hase Ryosaku (?)
Age: 26. Single. No children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 3 years 6 months - North China (Feb 1942-June 1942), Saigon (July 1942-June 1943), Kuala Lumpur (July 1943-June 1944), Singapore (June 1944-August 1945)
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first, second and fourth charge. Sentence: Imprisonment for 5 years
5) Private Murata Yoshitaro (村田芳太郎)
Age: 24. Single. No children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 3 years - Japan (Sept 1942-Jan 1943), Java (Feb 1943-June 1943), Kuala Lumpur (July 1943-Jan 1944), Singapore (Jan 1944-Aug 1945)
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first, second and fourth charge. Sentence: Imprisonment for 14 years
Torture of LAM KEONG KONG
LAM KEONG KONG worked at a machinery shop and lived at 353 North Bridge Road. He was 26 years old when he was arrested on the 20 Oct 1944 and detained at the YMCA. After three days, he was relocated to Kim Leong and locked in a cell with about 100 others; three were known to him and named: Low Keng, Lam Fan Wee, Lam Kim Fah. He recounted the following ill treatment: water treatment, kneeling on a piece of wood, fingers put between pieces of rattan and squeezed, beaten with sticks while his hands were tied behind his back. During one session of water treatment, he was forced to drink "dirty water... The water was mixed with urine, shit and all sorts." Witnesses Lam Fan Wui and Low Keng corroborated LAM's account of ill treatment during his incarceration.
According to the accused Shin Shigetoshi, LAM confessed to anti-Japanese activities including distributing placards and posters and purchasing pistols. According to LAM, he had made up a story about hiding weapons. No weapons were however found. Following LAM's release on 17 April 1945, he was asked to report back to the police station periodically to inform on other Communists. He was also given rice to solicit his cooperation.
Death of WONG PIN
Lam Keong Kong testified that he was acquainted with WONG PIN and that he had witnessed the torture of WONG PIN by Hase and Murata and another two men who were not present in court. Lam testified that the last time he had seen WONG PIN, he was unconscious and "at the point of death... His body was beaten up, all the skin pulled out and all the water coming out of his body." Lam saw MPs take WONG PIN out of the cell on a stretcher and covered with blankets. He did not know of WONG PIN's fate until after he was released on 17 April 1945. Lam testified that Hase had informed him that "Wong Pin had been sent to hospital and after 2 days he was dead." WONG PIN's death, according to Shin Shigetoshi, was stated as dysentery on his death certficate.
Death of LAM NAI PENG (LAM NAI PING)
Lam Keong Kong testified that he had seen LAM NAI PENG during the time he was incarcerated at Smith Street. Lam claimed that when LAM NAI PENG was returned to the cell after a beating, "He was half mad -- unconscious." And that "in the night time while we were all asleep and when we awoke in the morning we saw him dead."
Lam Fan Wui confirmed that he had been in the same cell as LAM NAI PENG. He testified that when the victim was returned to the cell he looked as if he had been beaten and his "body swollen, legs swollen and hands swollen, with waters." Further, that LAM NAI PENG was "taken out and then brought back, then I saw he could not walk." Murata had entered the cell because LAM NAI PENG had been screaming and beat him with a cane for about 15 to 20 minutes. Lam Fan Wui claimed he had assisted the MPs in removing LAM NAI PENG's body from the cell the next morning.
Low Keng testified that LAM NAI PENG had "bleeding on the face, body swollen, also the legs" and that "myself assisted, Lam Kim Fah, and others" in carrying LAM NAI PENG's corpse out of the cell. Low Keng described the corpse as "the whole body was swollen and watery on the body flow out."
Accused Hase Ryosuke's description of LAM NAI PENG's injuries: "(the body) was very bad almost rotten in some parts."
Torture of LAM NAI FOOK
LAM NAI FOOK was a grocer living at No. 63 Arab Street. He was arrested on 20 Oct 1944 and incarcerated for 6 months. He claimed he was arrested by two men who spoke to him in the Hokkien dialect and could have been Taiwanese. He was placed in the same cell as Lam Nai Peng and Lam Keong Kong. In court, he pointed out Hirazawa as having ill-treated him, along with another man who was not present. Like Lam Keong Kong, he was made to kneel on a strip of wood, slapped and beaten with rattan and wooden sticks and endured water torture. He admitted to signing a statement by affixing his thumbprint but did not know what the contents were. He claimed that he had not participated in any anti-Japanese resistance activities, but, "If I don't want to admit he wanted to cut my head off... They accused me of being a spy, of making signals. He (Murata) asked me to admit that I put signals -- lighting fires for the planes to come. I was badly beaten and I admitted."
Death of SEAH NGEE KHAY
Lim Guet Keow, 34, wife of SEAH NGEE KAY, lived at 75a Lorong Lima (Limau?) and had been resident of Singapore for 14 years. On 5 November 1942, she was informed by her husband's colleagues that he had been arrested. A month later, he was returned to the house in the company of two Japanese MPs, including Shin Shigetoshi, in a poorly condition. Their house was searched, money, books and papers were confiscated. They were both taken to the YMCA and interrogated where she was made to kneel down on a piece of wood and beaten with a belt and a stick by Shin Shigetoshi for about an hour. She also witnessed her husband being beaten in a room facing the one she was in. She was released the next day and summoned to the YMCA on 7 January 1943 where she saw her husband: "He could not talk at that time. Back was swollen, stomach, blood coming out on the fingers, toes, and mouth bleeding... I called him. He don't know me. Still breathing." The next day, SEAH was returned to his house, following which he died about a half hour later.
Torture of LOW KIANG PIN
LOW KIANG PIN, 21, was born in Singapore and lived at 163 Arab Street. He worked at a sundry goods shop. He was arrested in November 1944 and accused of having weapons. He endured beatings, water torture and cigarette burns. He was released following reoccupation by the British Army in September 1945. At one point during the trial, the court was cleared leaving only the accused, court members, the witness and press members, so that the court could examine the various scars on LOW KIANG PIN's chest, arms, back and thighs, and cigarette burns on his abdomen.
The alleged crimes were committed at East District Kempeitai HQ located at YMCA and Kim Leong, a detention centre on Smith Street, between 1942 and 1944 in Singapore.
First Charge against all 5 accused/defendants
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Lam Keong Kong, Wong Pin and Lam Nai Fook, leading to death of Wong Pin.
Second Charge against Hase and Murata
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Lam Nai Peng, leading to death
Third Charge against Hase
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Seah Ngee Khay and Lim Guet Keow, leading to death of Seah Ngee Khay
Fourth Charge against Hirazawa and Murata
Unlawful arrest and confinement, and beating, torture and maltreatment of Low Kiang Pin
Defence
Terada: Instructed by superior officer, Lt. Col. Sumida, to make arrests and obtain statements, using torture if necessary.
Hirazawa: Was present but did not participate in interrogation himself.
Shin: Was present and assisted in the interrogation under the orders of Hirazawa.
Hase: Carried out orders of Shin Shigetoshi in torturing Lam Keong Kong, not involved in Lam Nai Peng's interrogation, had reported to Hirazawa that he believed Lam Nai Peng was mad.
Murata: Was present at the interrogation of Lam Keong Kong but did not participate, had reported to Hirazawa that Lam Nai Peng was mad.
Hirazawa and Shin's defence (from accused's court testimony) : Kempeitai Commander demanded information and results at all costs, that they were compelled to obey orders and that responsibility should lie with Kempeitai Commander. Apart from beatings and water treatment, other methods were also used to extract information and confessions, including pins inserted under the finger nails and stomping on a prisoner's thighs while he was kneeling.
Defendants' Service Record, Plea, Verdict and Sentences
1) Staff Sergeant Terada Takao (寺田隆夫)
Personal details not available.
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Not Guilty. Sentence: Acquitted.
2) Warrant Officer Hirazawa Atsusi (平澤淳)
Age: 36. Married. Four children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 15 years - Korea (Dec 1930-May 1944), Singapore (June 1944-Sept 1945).
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first and fourth charge. Sentence: Death by hanging.
3) Staff Sergeant Shin Shigetoshi (新重俊)
Age: 29. Single. No children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 8 years 7 months - Manchuria (Jan 1937-May 1937), Japan (May 1937-Sept 1942), Singapore (Sept 1942-Aug 1945).
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first and third charge. Sentence: Death by hanging.
4) Corporal Hase Ryosaku (?)
Age: 26. Single. No children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 3 years 6 months - North China (Feb 1942-June 1942), Saigon (July 1942-June 1943), Kuala Lumpur (July 1943-June 1944), Singapore (June 1944-August 1945)
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first, second and fourth charge. Sentence: Imprisonment for 5 years
5) Private Murata Yoshitaro (村田芳太郎)
Age: 24. Single. No children. Occupation before joining Imperial Japanese Army: Farmer.
Length of service: 3 years - Japan (Sept 1942-Jan 1943), Java (Feb 1943-June 1943), Kuala Lumpur (July 1943-Jan 1944), Singapore (Jan 1944-Aug 1945)
Plea: Not Guity. Verdict: Guilty of first, second and fourth charge. Sentence: Imprisonment for 14 years
Torture of LAM KEONG KONG
LAM KEONG KONG worked at a machinery shop and lived at 353 North Bridge Road. He was 26 years old when he was arrested on the 20 Oct 1944 and detained at the YMCA. After three days, he was relocated to Kim Leong and locked in a cell with about 100 others; three were known to him and named: Low Keng, Lam Fan Wee, Lam Kim Fah. He recounted the following ill treatment: water treatment, kneeling on a piece of wood, fingers put between pieces of rattan and squeezed, beaten with sticks while his hands were tied behind his back. During one session of water treatment, he was forced to drink "dirty water... The water was mixed with urine, shit and all sorts." Witnesses Lam Fan Wui and Low Keng corroborated LAM's account of ill treatment during his incarceration.
According to the accused Shin Shigetoshi, LAM confessed to anti-Japanese activities including distributing placards and posters and purchasing pistols. According to LAM, he had made up a story about hiding weapons. No weapons were however found. Following LAM's release on 17 April 1945, he was asked to report back to the police station periodically to inform on other Communists. He was also given rice to solicit his cooperation.
Death of WONG PIN
Lam Keong Kong testified that he was acquainted with WONG PIN and that he had witnessed the torture of WONG PIN by Hase and Murata and another two men who were not present in court. Lam testified that the last time he had seen WONG PIN, he was unconscious and "at the point of death... His body was beaten up, all the skin pulled out and all the water coming out of his body." Lam saw MPs take WONG PIN out of the cell on a stretcher and covered with blankets. He did not know of WONG PIN's fate until after he was released on 17 April 1945. Lam testified that Hase had informed him that "Wong Pin had been sent to hospital and after 2 days he was dead." WONG PIN's death, according to Shin Shigetoshi, was stated as dysentery on his death certficate.
Death of LAM NAI PENG (LAM NAI PING)
Lam Keong Kong testified that he had seen LAM NAI PENG during the time he was incarcerated at Smith Street. Lam claimed that when LAM NAI PENG was returned to the cell after a beating, "He was half mad -- unconscious." And that "in the night time while we were all asleep and when we awoke in the morning we saw him dead."
Lam Fan Wui confirmed that he had been in the same cell as LAM NAI PENG. He testified that when the victim was returned to the cell he looked as if he had been beaten and his "body swollen, legs swollen and hands swollen, with waters." Further, that LAM NAI PENG was "taken out and then brought back, then I saw he could not walk." Murata had entered the cell because LAM NAI PENG had been screaming and beat him with a cane for about 15 to 20 minutes. Lam Fan Wui claimed he had assisted the MPs in removing LAM NAI PENG's body from the cell the next morning.
Low Keng testified that LAM NAI PENG had "bleeding on the face, body swollen, also the legs" and that "myself assisted, Lam Kim Fah, and others" in carrying LAM NAI PENG's corpse out of the cell. Low Keng described the corpse as "the whole body was swollen and watery on the body flow out."
Accused Hase Ryosuke's description of LAM NAI PENG's injuries: "(the body) was very bad almost rotten in some parts."
Torture of LAM NAI FOOK
LAM NAI FOOK was a grocer living at No. 63 Arab Street. He was arrested on 20 Oct 1944 and incarcerated for 6 months. He claimed he was arrested by two men who spoke to him in the Hokkien dialect and could have been Taiwanese. He was placed in the same cell as Lam Nai Peng and Lam Keong Kong. In court, he pointed out Hirazawa as having ill-treated him, along with another man who was not present. Like Lam Keong Kong, he was made to kneel on a strip of wood, slapped and beaten with rattan and wooden sticks and endured water torture. He admitted to signing a statement by affixing his thumbprint but did not know what the contents were. He claimed that he had not participated in any anti-Japanese resistance activities, but, "If I don't want to admit he wanted to cut my head off... They accused me of being a spy, of making signals. He (Murata) asked me to admit that I put signals -- lighting fires for the planes to come. I was badly beaten and I admitted."
Death of SEAH NGEE KHAY
Lim Guet Keow, 34, wife of SEAH NGEE KAY, lived at 75a Lorong Lima (Limau?) and had been resident of Singapore for 14 years. On 5 November 1942, she was informed by her husband's colleagues that he had been arrested. A month later, he was returned to the house in the company of two Japanese MPs, including Shin Shigetoshi, in a poorly condition. Their house was searched, money, books and papers were confiscated. They were both taken to the YMCA and interrogated where she was made to kneel down on a piece of wood and beaten with a belt and a stick by Shin Shigetoshi for about an hour. She also witnessed her husband being beaten in a room facing the one she was in. She was released the next day and summoned to the YMCA on 7 January 1943 where she saw her husband: "He could not talk at that time. Back was swollen, stomach, blood coming out on the fingers, toes, and mouth bleeding... I called him. He don't know me. Still breathing." The next day, SEAH was returned to his house, following which he died about a half hour later.
Torture of LOW KIANG PIN
LOW KIANG PIN, 21, was born in Singapore and lived at 163 Arab Street. He worked at a sundry goods shop. He was arrested in November 1944 and accused of having weapons. He endured beatings, water torture and cigarette burns. He was released following reoccupation by the British Army in September 1945. At one point during the trial, the court was cleared leaving only the accused, court members, the witness and press members, so that the court could examine the various scars on LOW KIANG PIN's chest, arms, back and thighs, and cigarette burns on his abdomen.
DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)
Reference to proceedings: www.legal-tools.org/doc/b2dd55/pdf/ Stephanie Beckman/U.C. Berkeley War Crimes Studies Center. Details: www.legal-tools.org/uploads/tx_ltpdb/Teradaetal._UKBritishMilitary_Judgment_summary__19-02-1946__E__06.htm Judgement: www.legal-tools.org/doc/b2dd55/pdf/ |
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