Ex-Police Chief Inspector Charged over Death in Custody of Man with Schizophrenia and Diabetes

From Jiji

February 28 2024

NAGOYA – A former chief inspector at the Aichi prefectural police received a summary indictment Wednesday over the death of a man in police custody in the central Japan prefecture. 

The 46-year-old former chief inspector, accused of professional negligence resulting in death, allegedly left the dehydrated man untreated in an observation cell in the Okazaki police station in Aichi. He has already quit the police.

The accused is believed to have caused the man to die of acute kidney failure at age 43 in December 2022 without taking him to a medical institution, although the man had impaired consciousness due to serious dehydration after taking no food or drink for some 55 hours while his arms and legs were restrained, according to the indictment.

The former chief inspector allegedly left the victim unattended while knowing that he was unable to eat or drink by himself and had difficulties communicating with others.

The police arrested the victim on suspicion of obstructing official duties and put him into the observation cell handcuffed and bound with rope after he acted violently at the police station. The victim had schizophrenia and diabetes.