August 24, 2005

Church founder admits to 22 counts of rape

JAPAN
Mainichi Daily News

KYOTO -- Tamotsu Kin, a Kyoto Prefecture church founder facing charges of raping and indecently assaulting young girls at the church admitted to the charges against him as the second hearing in his criminal trial opened in the Kyoto District Court on Tuesday.

Kin faces charges of violating seven young girls in 22 incidents, including one attempted incident, between March 2001 and September 2004, in locations including the pastor's office at the Seishin Chuo Kyokai church in Yawata, Kyoto Prefecture.

Questioning Kin over the attacks, Presiding Judge Takeshi Uegaki asked him, "Is it right you are not going to argue about the 22 incidents and the seven (victims)?" Kin replied, "Yes."

In the opening hearing of his trial on June 21, Kin would neither deny nor confirm the facts of the charges against him.

Posted by kshaw at August 24, 2005 08:36 PM