The Tokyo High Court on Friday upheld a lower court-imposed four-year prison term and 8.38 million yen fine for a former senior Defense Agency official convicted of committing breach of trust and bribery in connection with equipment procurement.
Kenichi Ueno, 65, former deputy chief of the Defense Agency's defunct Central Procurement Office, was found guilty of causing the government to lose more than 3.54 billion yen and of receiving some 8.38 million yen in bribes.
Ueno allowed defense contractors affiliated with electronics giant NEC Corp. that were required to refund money to the government because they overcharged the Defense Agency for equipment, to pay back less than they owed, according to the court.
Ueno has pleaded innocent and appealed the Tokyo District Court guilty verdict. His lawyers denied that he exercised undue influence over the matter or received any bribes.
Following the high court decision, Ueno immediately filed an appeal with the Supreme Court.
In handing down the ruling, presiding Judge Atsushi Senba said Ueno is guilty of breach of trust because he caused extensive damage to the agency by reducing the amount the contractors had to refund.
Ueno also tried to look out for his own interests and those of the contractors, the judge said.
Judge Senba also upheld Ueno's bribery conviction.