Japanese fugitive falls

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday reported the arrest of a wanted fugitive in Tokyo, Japan, for theft and fraud.

BI identified the fugitive as Kudo Tomoya, a 33-year-old Japanese man who was apprehended last 15 November at the BI office in the SM Aura mall in Taguig after he attempted to apply for his visa extension.

BI SM Aura head Evita Mercader disclosed that Kudo filed for extension at around 5 in the afternoon and presented his passport. He reportedly arrived last 15 October and he is requesting to extend his visa to stay longer in the country.

However, upon verification in the BI’s centralized system, it was learned that Kudo is on a BI watchlist for being charged as an undesirable alien.

Last 8 November, the Japanese authorities formally notified the BI about Kudo’s arrest warrant.

According to reports from the Japanese authorities, the Tokyo Summary Court issued the warrant against Kudo in August for violation of the Japanese Penal Code on allegations of stealing, fraud, and breaking into a building.

The accused allegedly stole a bankbook and other office supplies worth JPY 2,000 and used it to defraud a bank employee of JPY7,876,000.

Kudo was transferred to the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, pending his deportation proceedings after being apprehended by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU).