Sri Lankan Men Given Suspended Sentences Over Stealing Copper Plates From Noto Earthquake-Damaged Temple
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
The Kanazawa District Court's Nanao Branch sentenced two unemployed Sri Lankan nationals, Mohamed Fairoos Mohamed Faynas, 30, and Mohamed Riyas Mohamed Rihan Taski, 30, to 1 year and 6 months in prison, suspended for 3 years, on August 18, 2026, over theft charges. According to MRO Hokuriku Broadcasting and other outlets, the two were accused of stealing 123 copper plates and other items, including roof ornaments, worth roughly 380,000 yen in total, from Tokuzoji Temple in Monzen-cho, Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture — a building damaged in the Noto Peninsula earthquake — in April 2026.
The court noted that the crime was "malicious in that it targeted an earthquake-damaged building," but took into account the defendants' lack of prior criminal record and expressions of remorse. Police investigations identified 44 additional metal thefts allegedly committed by the pair, with total damages of roughly 32 million yen, but the Kanazawa District Public Prosecutors Office's Nanao Branch decided not to indict on those counts, effective July 23, 2026.
Current status: The specific reasoning behind the decision not to indict on the additional counts remains unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.