Inquest Panel Voted Against Decision Not to Indict Seko's Accountant

Tokyo, Nov. 4 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese committee for the inquest of prosecution has voted against a decision by public prosecutors not to indict a man who was the chief accountant for a political organization of lawmaker Hiroshige Seko, who was accused of violating the political funds control law in a slush funds scandal involving the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

It is unreasonable not to indict the man because he committed a highly malicious act, the inquest panel said in its decision dated on Oct. 9.

It is believed to be the first decision by an inquest panel over the scandal. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office will reinvestigate the case.

The panel supported a decision by public prosecutors not to indict Seko, a member of the House of Representatives, saying there is no sufficient reason to overturn the decision.

Seko and the man were accused of conspiring to fail to report 15.42 million yen in kickbacks from a former LDP faction once led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as income for the fund management organization for 2018-2022. In May, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office decided not to indict Seko and the man.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]