Police lied over cause of death of Tottori man

TOTTORI -- A man with ties to a bar hostess arrested on suspicion of fraud was beaten prior to death, contrary to police announcements that he drowned, it has emerged.

Despite determining that foul play was involved, Tottori Prefectural Police told family and press that Hideki Maruyama, 57, had sustained no injuries and had drowned to death.

Maruyama, a self-employed man from Tottori, is among several who died while being known to have had contact with the 35-year-old hostess. He was found lying face-down in the Mani River on Oct. 7.

Senior prefectural police officers have defended their actions. One official told the Mainichi that they withheld the details "because we thought it was likely to be a criminal case."

Another high-ranking official offered: "It is more of a difference of views than falsehood. It's just that we do not release the causes of death."

According to Maruyama's brother, he thought his younger brother had been attacked after he noticed the victim's right eye was injured when he saw the body after an autopsy. He also heard from another person who saw the body that the victim had suffered deep wounds to the back of his hand and that his trousers had been torn.

Mainichi

November 7, 2009