Prominent Aboriginal health leader Donna Nelson has been sentenced to six years in prison by a Japanese court after being found guilty of importing two kilograms of methamphetamine.
Ms Nelson is a respected community figure for her long-time advocacy in addressing health disparities and her tireless work in supporting vulnerable communities.
The former chair of the Perth-based Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, Ms Nelson was arrested at Narita Airport in Tokyo in January 2023. Japanese authorities discovered the concealed drugs in a suitcase she had picked up during a stopover in Laos, which she said was at the request of her online romantic partner, a man known as Kelly.
The 58-year-old grandmother said she was led to believe the bag contained fashion samples for Kelly's business in Japan.
The court, however, ruled that Ms Nelson ignored clear warning signs, including the unusual nature of the request and inconsistencies in her travel plans. Judge Masakazu Kamakura noted that Ms Nelson failed to verify the bag's contents and did not declare it as someone else's property.
Furthermore, the court noted she listed "business" as her reason for visiting Japan, which the prosecution argued undermined her credibility. Ms Nelson told the court she felt embarrassed to tell airport officials she was there to meet her romantic partner.
During the trial, Ms Nelson maintained her innocence, tearfully stating she had been manipulated by Kelly, whom she had interacted with online for two years.
"If I had known or even suspected illegal drugs were in the suitcase, I would have never agreed to carry it," said Ms Nelson in court, the ABC reports.
Her defense emphasised Ms Nelson's lifelong dedication to fighting addiction and helping marginalised communities. They argued she was an innocent victim of a love scam and pointed out her financial stability, above-average salary, and extensive community work, which indicated she had no motive to engage in criminal activity.
Ms Nelson's sentence includes 430 days already served in detention. Japan's legal system, which has a 99 per cent conviction rate, does not offer multiple open court sessions before a trial, and Ms Nelson was barred from outside communication except through her lawyers.
Ms Nelson's daughters Kristal, Ashlee, Janelle, Taylor and Shontay released a joint statement after the verdict.
"We are disappointed and devastated by the court verdicts in our Mum's case. We maintain that our Mum was the victim of a romance scam. She is the victim of a crime and not a criminal," they said.
"She has always been against drugs. As she said in her trial, she was duped and did not know there were drugs in the bag her partner asked her to take into Japan.
"But we want to make clear now- we will never stop fighting for our Mum. And we will keep fighting until we can bring her home.
"It has been devastating for us as Donna's daughters to be cut off from our Mum for these past two years. Our hearts break to think of her being detained in Japan for six years.
"Our mum means the world to us. We will continue to do all we can to improve her conditions in prison and make sure she has what she needs while continue to fight to bring her home."
The case has sparked widespread attention, raising awareness of the dangers of online romance scams and the devastating consequences they can have. Ms Nelson's lawyer, Nishida Rie, expressed determination to continue fighting for her release.
"That means until she gets freedom," said Ms Nishida.
