SAITAMA (TR) – A 48-year-old company employee in custody in connection with the fatal stabbing of a male co-worker last month denies fresh charges of murder, police said, reports TV Asahi (Sept. 2).
The Asaka Police Station alleges that Kurahito Hino, a company employee, fatally stabbed Tadao Toma, 58, on a road in Asaka City on August 23.
“I stabbed him, but it was not murder,” Hino was quoted by police in partially denying the allegations.
At around 9:05 p.m. on August 23, police received a distress call. “I stabbed a person,” the caller said.
Police later arriving at the road in the Hizaoricho area found Toma collapsed with wounds to his upper body. He was later confirmed dead at a hospital.
Police then determined that Hino, a resident of Niiza City, made the call and apprehended him while he held a bloodstained knife near the scene of the crime.
Two days later, police sent him to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law. “Everyday, [Toma] was drinking noisily with colleagues,” the suspect was later quoted.
