PARIS - A French court of appeals on Thursday (Dec 21) confirmed a Chilean man was guilty of murdering his Japanese ex-girlfriend in 2016 and upheld a 28-year prison sentence, French news agency AFP reported on Thursday.

The verdict confirms a lower court ruling from last year against the now 33-year-old Nicolas Zepeda. In the appeal case, which lasted three weeks, the general counsel requested a life sentence and expulsion from the French territory once the term has been served.

Zepeda continued to claim his innocence.

Last year, Zepeda was found guilty of murdering 21-year-old Narumi Kurosaki, whose body has never been found, in the eastern French town of Basancon, in a trial that made national headlines in France, Chile and Japan.

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Boxes are seen in the courtroom ahead of the arrival of Nicolas Zepeda from Chile, on the opening day of his appeal trial after he was sentenced at first instance for murdering Japanese student Narumi Kurosaki, in Vesoul, France, Feb 21, 2023. 

FRANCE

Murder/Manslaughter

Jail term

Reuters

PARIS - A French court of appeals on Thursday (Dec 21) confirmed a Chilean man was guilty of murdering his Japanese ex-girlfriend in 2016 and upheld a 28-year prison sentence, French news agency AFP reported on Thursday. The verdict confirms a lower court ruling from last year against the now 33-year-old Nicolas Zepeda. In the appeal case, which lasted three...

French-Chilean man sentenced to 28 years in prison for murdering Japanese ex-girlfriend