B"HMore than a year ago, the Satmarer Chassid and Yeshiva student Yosef Bondo and two of his friends were caught carrying drugs when they tried to enter Japan. Now Bondo was sentenced to five years in jail plus a fine of 40.000 Dollar. The court didn't believe Bondo's claim that the suitcases full of drugs were just handed over to him and he agreed to carry them to Japan. Of course, he also didn't know what is inside the suitcases. Instead, the Japanese court is convinced that Bondo's act was a crime.
Yosef Bondo's lawyer tried to convince the court to let his client fly to Israel letting him sit in jail there and, besides, continue his Yeshiva studies. However, Japanese law doesn't allow so.
The sentence for the two Bondo friends has not yet been decided.
In Israel, Ben Zion Miller was arrested, as he is regarded as the man handing the suitcases to Bondo & friends.
: Just moments ago, a Japanese judge handed down a ruling against HaBochur Yosef ben Ita Rivka, the youngest of the three Bochrim wrongfully imprisoned in Japan.
ReplyDeleteAccording to initial reports he was sentenced to 5 years in prison R”L but can take off a 3rd of the time for good behavior. Additionally, he can use the 266 days he already served in prison towards his sentence. This give him a sentence of approximately 2 years and 7 seven months in jail.
Askanim are still working at this time to convince the judge to allow him to carry out his sentence in an Israeli prison. Apparently the law does not allow the transfer to Israel, so an attempt is being made to have the law changed.
UPDATE 11:40PM EST: The judge has reportedly agreed for the extradition to Israel, but the law needs to be changed. This will take some time. The judge also ruled that a $40,000 fine must be paid.
B"H
ReplyDeleteA person traveling around with drugs should be put into jail !
That's it and it shouldn't matter if he is Jewish, a Gentile, Satmar, secular or whatever.
Hopefully, Yosef Bondo is at least changing his ways after the sentence.
do you know any backgroun on this case?
ReplyDeletedo you now that thier suitcase had a hidden wall and that these guys had NO IDEA whatsove as to what drugs are, or that they hadd some n thier bags???
B"H
ReplyDeleteI just know what the press reported and, of course, this doesn't have do be always correct. But you know what: I don't take suitcases for someone to another country. No matter if their is a hidden wall inside or not. I simply don't do it.
Especially not to the Far East where there are so many stories with drug smuggeling.
To me it is a matter of common sense.
these teenagers were naive. they travelled to europe to pray at the graves of rebbes. they were offered 1000 dollars plus travel expenses to take antiques to the far east. this was the only way they had to pray at the grave of these rebbes. they dont even know what drugs are. or dint know, now they know, thier lives have been runied by some guy who exploited thier naivitey and he ought to be cas*****
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteBut still, despite all the money being offered, don't you want to know what is in the suitcase.
At every border the police does searches. So, you better make sure not to get in trouble and not only look at the money.
According to the news the guy told them the "antiques" were hidden to avoid tax--that alone is illegal, and if they as such holy students they knew that they were sneaking something through customs--even if they didn't know it was drugs. No matter which way you look at it they took money to try and bypass the authorities and they got caught--I have no sympathy for them just because they study in a yeshiva. For some years now people are warned not to carry suitcases for anyone--it is posted in the airports. You do the crime--you pay the time, and don't whine.
ReplyDeletebsd
ReplyDeleteWe are beating around the bush.
We have to daven for the boys and collect money for the trial costs.
Concrete help is needed to afford the trial
> costs.Hamodia
> > wrote about additional $500,000.
> > Please phone -if
> you are in Israel-
> >
> 1-800-3947-47
> > or make a deposit at Bank Pagi(52),branch 188,account
> 279
> > 5156.Please specify that the contribution is for the
> > bachurim in Japan,for pydion shvuyim fund no 1163.
> > Or send a check to Kupat Hair,POB 49,Bnei Brak.
Tizku be mitzvot.Ben Moshe
i just came across your blog. I do realize that your a baal tshuvah, perhaps you never came across the mitzvah of 'gemilas chassudim'...
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteDespite all the Gemilut Chassadim, one should always check a strange suitcase before transporting it.