Japan sentenced to 12 years in prison for the killer of Vietnamese students

During the trial on the morning of June 6, the Osaka court held that the actions of the defendant Cruz Cabrera Brian Alberto, 27 years old, a Dominican nationality, were initially a legitimate defense. However, when Tu Anh was exhausted and tried to climb ashore, the defendant continued to have “excessive violence” that resulted in the victim’s death. Therefore, the court sentenced the Dominican defendant to 12 years in prison.

Osaka police on the evening of August 2, 2021 received news that Trinh Tu Anh, born in 1999, was assaulted at the Ebisu bridge riverside pedestrian area and stepped into the Dotonbori River. The rescue team took the victim to the emergency room but he did not survive. An autopsy showed the victim had multiple bruises on his head and neck.

Checking the security cameras near the scene, the police discovered that Alberto and Tu Anh had been drinking and playing music before the murder. The police then arrested Alberto at an accommodation facility in the Nishinari district. Initially, the defendant was silent and refused to give testimony.

However, in the first instance hearing on May 16, Alberto denied the allegation, saying that he was “just defending himself”. The defense also argued that Alberto was not guilty on the grounds that the defendant “was also beaten by the victim after drinking, so he responded”.

The prosecutor rejected this argument, saying that when the victim showed signs of exhaustion, Alberto continued to attack and acted to prevent Tu Anh from getting out of the river, even though he knew the victim was in danger of losing his life.

A witness also testified in court that Alberto and Tu Anh had a fight with each other, but halfway through, the victim stopped, only the defendant continued to beat.