‘Deeply upsetting’: Detained Australian’s Tokyo ‘love scam’ trial delayed at last minute

A Perth grandmother will remain in a Tokyo prison indefinitely after her trial was unexpectedly postponed. It’s understood proceedings could be delayed by six months or more.

The shock development comes just two days before the trial of Donna Nelson – who has already spent 18 months in a Japanese prison on drug smuggling charges that she denies – was scheduled to begin.

West Australian woman and Aboriginal community leader Donna Nelson.

Members of Nelson’s family found out about the postponement while on a plane from Perth to Tokyo where they planned to attend the trial. They said it was deeply upsetting.

“At this time, as a family we are still trying to come to terms with the news of the trial delay. It’s deeply upsetting for us as her family but we can’t even begin to imagine how devastating the news will be for our darling Mum,” they said in a statement.

Instead of taking the stand to plead her innocence, the 58-year-old will remain in her Chiba Prison cell where she claims she is kept in isolation for 23 hours a day.

Nelson is not allowed to speak with family, friends or other prisoners, can shower only once every three days and is passing time by reading the Bible.

This masthead was escorted from Chiba Prison grounds while attempting to visit her in October 2023.

After several previous hold-ups, it’s understood the prosecution submitted last-minute evidence on Monday.

Nelson’s legal team has raised issue with the prosecution’s last-minute strategy change and flagged concerns over the competency of the court-provided translator, whose job is to translate Nelson’s cross-examination.

The prominent Indigenous community leader has not spoken directly to her family since her arrest at Narita International Airport in January 2023 with methamphetamine allegedly hidden in a tampered suitcase.

According to Nelson’s lawyers, one side of the case was fitted with a false outer lining to create a hidden cavity in which around two kilograms of methamphetamine was found.

Her lawyers will argue that the drugs were planted and Nelson was the victim of a Nigerian love scam.

In February, Rie Nishida, a criminal defence lawyer and founder of Shinjuku International Law Firm told this masthead that previous trial delays resulted from prosecutors failing to prepare evidence.

“We believe she is actually innocent so if people hear her story with a fair and reasonable mind, she should be acquitted,” she said earlier this year.

“She is in good spirits and looking forward to the trial date because she can finally be heard in court and see her family even while they are sitting in the public gallery during the trial process.”

A new trial date is yet to be scheduled but Nelson’s lawyers have been advised it won’t begin before January 2025, marking two years since her arrest.

Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.