London: Two British men accused of robbing a jewellery shop in Tokyo have lost their appeal to bring their case against extradition to the UK’s highest court. Joe Chappell and Kaine Wright allegedly stole 46 pieces of jewellery valued at approximately $735,000 in 2015 by posing as customers to gain entry to the shop.
According to Ghana News Agency, in 2022, a judge initially refused to allow the extradition of the pair, discharging them on the grounds that there was no case to answer against Mr. Chappell and citing the risk of ‘ill-treatment’ during detention. However, the Japanese government appealed the decision, and the High Court overturned it in January.
Earlier this year, Chappell and Wright sought permission to take their case to the Supreme Court, questioning whether Japan’s requirement for convicted prisoners to work 40 hours a week violated their human rights by constituting ‘forced or compulsory labour.’ Nonetheless, Lords Lloyd-Jones, Sales, and Stephens denied their appeal bids in a decision made on Thursday and published on Monday.
The High Court ruling in January, delivered by Lord Justice Lewis and Mr. Justice Johnson, noted that while no formal extradition treaty exists between the UK and Japan, the two countries negotiated a ‘memorandum of cooperation’ in 2021 after Japan requested extradition in 2018. Since then, Japan has pursued several legal challenges to secure the extradition of the two men.
The ultimate decision on whether the pair will be extradited now lies with the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper.