Tokyo cops arrest one-time refugee for molesting school girl in Shibuya

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a male Nepalese national currently re-applying for refugee status for allegedly molesting a school girl in Shibuya Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Jan. 22).

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on February 7 of last year, Tapa Rabi, 29, is alleged to have forcibly taken the girl, a middle school student, to a parking lot near JR Shibuya Station and fondled her chest atop a truck’s luggage rack.

The girl suffered minor injuries, including subcutaneous bleeding, due to a kiss to the face.

Rabi, who has been charged with committing an obscene act, admits to the allegations. “I did it because she was cute,” the suspect is quoted by police.

Prior to the incident, the suspect called out to her in the street, indicating that he had money to spend for an enjoyable time. After she refused his suggestion, he followed her for 10 minutes and thereafter committed the crime, according to Fuji News Network (Jan. 22).

In January of 2008, Rabi arrived in Japan as a vocational school student. In 2012, he received refugee status from the Tokyo immigration office. After the designation lapsed in 2013, he has since re-applied multiple times.

Police are now investigating whether the suspect was behind other similar incidents by viewing security camera footage, according to NHK (Jan. 22).