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Nara city councilor implicated in bid-rigging case found dead

A councilor in Tenri City was found dead in his home on Wednesday
A councilor in Tenri City was found dead in his home on Wednesday (TBS News)

NARA (TR) – A councilor in Tenri City who has been implicated in a bid-rigging case for a solar power project was found dead in his home on Wednesday, reports TBS News (Aug. 11).

The oldest daughter of the man, 66, found him collapsed in the bathroom of the residence. He had stab wounds to his stomach and chest. A blood-stained utility knife was found nearby.

The man was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed dead, according to police.

On August 4, a special investigative unit of the Osaka District Court searched the residence and other locations on suspicion of violations of a law that prohibits collusive bidding at the initiative of government agencies.

In 2013, the city awarded the lease for a 43-hectare parcel of land to a general incorporated association based in Osaka following a bid. Investigators suspect that information related to the bid was leaked by the former councillor to the winning bidder.

The site is being used for a 23-megawatt solar power project consisting of 90,000 photovoltaic panels. It is expected to go online next year.

Police suspect that the former councillor took his own life.