Black widow: Chisako Kakehi, 70, allegedly murdered three of her partners by giving them drinks laced with cyanide
A Japanese woman accused of murdering three of her partners in order to make millions off their life insurances is facing the death penalty.
Chisako Kakehi, 70, is charged with murdering her husband-of-one-month and two partners – all elderly wealthy men – by giving them drinks laced with cyanide between 2007 and 2013.
Kakehi, from Kyoto, has been dubbed ‘Japan’s Black Widow’ after reportedly amassing one billion yen (£6.85million) in life insurance and testament payouts over ten years.
Kakehi was arrested in November 2014 following the death of her husband Isao Kakehi, 75, in December the previous year, one month after their wedding.
She has since also been charged with murdering her common-law partners Masanori Honda, 71, and Minoru Hioki, 75, and attempting to kill her friend Toshiaki Suehiro, 79.
Her lawyers have argued she is not guilty of murdering Mr Kakehi on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Kyoto District Court said last year that medical examinations found that Kakehi had early-stage dementia but was fit to stand trial.
Kakehi had relationships with many men, mostly elderly or ill, meeting some through dating agencies, where she reportedly stipulated that prospective partners should be wealthy and childless.
Prosecutors say the men perished at her hands after making her the beneficiary of life assurance policies that ran into millions of dollars.
Reports say she subsequently lost much of the fortune through financial trading.
Accused: Kakehi, pictured during a police transport in January, allegedly killed her husband Isao Kakehi, 75, one month after their wedding
Japan’s criminal justice system has come under scrutiny in the wake of Kakehi’s arrest, with questions being asked as to why a number of her lovers’ deaths were not investigated as suspicious.
In several cases, autopsies were not carried out on their bodies – something that could have found traces of the cyanide detectives now believe she used to kill them.
Kakehi, who is also known as ‘The Poison Lady’, is said to have stashed some of the substance in a plant pot that she later threw out.
Cyanide was found in the body of at least one of the men she was involved with before her marriage to Mr Kakehi.
Police who earlier raided her home in Kyoto found traces of cyanide in the rubbish, media said.
They also found paraphernalia for administering drugs and medical books at an apartment she kept south of Kyoto.
Closing statements will be heard tomorrow, with a ruling expected in November.