By Alicia Cruz
Senior writer
Theblackurbantimes
In Tokyo news... The Japanese foreign ministry hasreported that U.S. sailor Olatunbosun Ugbogu has received a life sentence for killing a Japanese taxi driver. The ministry said Thursday Ugbogu was sentenced in the Yokohama District Court.
Ugbogu, a 23-year-old Nigerian citizen serving in the U.S. Navy, was tried for the murder of 61-year-old Masaaki Takahashi. Officials state that Ugbogu admitted to stabbing the taxi driver to death near a U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, in March
2008. To family and friends, Ugbogu is known as Kenny from Irvington, N.J., according to a profile posted on MySpace.com.
Ugbogu's attorney, Yasutoshi Murakami, had stated early on that Ugbogu suffered from mental illness and heard voices. Photographs of Ugbogu posted on MySpace show him scowling, showing off gem-encrusted jewelry and pressing a $100 bill to the chest of another man.
The online profile, listed under "LAZZZZZYYYY!!!," also has 51 friends and contains a photograph of what appears to be an M-60 machine gun over the caption "my … toy."
According to testimony, Ugbogu's taxi ride racked up a $195 fare so the Sailor stabbed Takahashi in the neck with a kitchen knife and left him to die as he bled to death in the front seat of his taxicab, his seat belt still fastened.
Ugbogu, then a seaman aboard the USS Cowpens, was declared absent without leave on March , 2008 and taken into U.S. custody March 22. He was handed over to Japanese authorities April 3.
Ugbogu's attorney, Yasutoshi Murakami, had stated early on that Ugbogu suffered from mental illness and heard voices. Photographs of Ugbogu posted on MySpace show him scowling, showing off gem-encrusted jewelry and pressing a $100 bill to the chest of another man.
The online profile, listed under "LAZZZZZYYYY!!!," also has 51 friends and contains a photograph of what appears to be an M-60 machine gun over the caption "my … toy."According to testimony, Ugbogu's taxi ride racked up a $195 fare so the Sailor stabbed Takahashi in the neck with a kitchen knife and left him to die as he bled to death in the front seat of his taxicab, his seat belt still fastened.
Ugbogu, then a seaman aboard the USS Cowpens, was declared absent without leave on March , 2008 and taken into U.S. custody March 22. He was handed over to Japanese authorities April 3.
No comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciates all comments and fosters free speech, however, keep in mind that we have young readers who peruse our site. Having said that, please refrain from using profane language, and know that flaming will not be tolerated. Spam will not be tolerated.