HYOGO (TR) – Hyogo Prefectural Police have arrested an officer, 53, for allegedly assaulting a man outside a bar in Kobe after they both had been drinking, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Feb. 12).
Early on Monday, Koji Uegaki, an assistant inspector at the Takarazuka Police Station, allegedly kicked the man, 52 in the abdomen outside the bar, located in Tarumi Ward.
Uegaki, who has been accused of assault, denies the allegations. “I don’t remember any of it,” the suspect was quoted by the Tarumi Police Station.
Prior to the incident, Uegaki arrived at the bar by himself. He then proceeded to get drunk on at least four mugs of beer and two bottles of wine.
When the bar closed, the suspect coaxed other customers to join him at another bar. When the 52-year-old man declined to get into a taxi, the alleged assault took place. Security camera footage shows multiple persons getting into a scuffle outside the bar.
According tot he Takarazuka Police Station, Uegaki had been recovering from a motorcycle accident that took place while he was on patrol on February 6.
“I would like to work hard to regain the trust [of the public] by providing thorough instruction to officials,” the Sankei quoted Hideomi Okui, the vice-chief of the Takarazuka Police Station.