SHIZUOKA (TR) – Shizuoka Prefectural Police this week referred the former mayor of Ito City to prosecutors on three new charges over an ongoing academic fraud scandal, investigative sources said, reports Nippon News Network (June 5).
Maki Takubo, the former mayor, was already indicted without arrest in March. She was previously charged with forging a diploma from Toyo University’s Faculty of Law and giving the city council’s chairman and vice-chairman a “quick glimpse” of the fake document to silence doubts. She was also charged with committing perjury before a special city council investigative committee.
On Thursday, police hit Takubo with three additional allegations, including violations of the Public Offices Election Law.
She is now accused of feeding her fabricated resume to news organizations to have it published, as well as causing the fake credentials to be printed in the city’s official public relations magazine.
Authorities stated that this latest referral to prosecutors concludes the lengthy police investigation into the former mayor’s background-faking scandal.
According to sources close to the investigation, Takubo has consistently maintained her innocence, denying all allegations during voluntary police questioning.
