The Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling that acquitted former Aum Shinrikyo cult member Naoko Kikuchi over her role in a 1995 parcel bombing at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
Rejecting an appeal filed by prosecutors, the top court's First Petty Bench said in its decision dated Monday that the Tokyo District Court's 2014 ruling that Kikuchi was guilty of assisting in attempted murder was based on an error, and that it endorses the Tokyo High Court's 2015 decision to overturn the lower court's verdict.
Her acquittal will be finalized by Thursday if the prosecution does not file an objection.