The youngest of three Israeli yeshiva students accused or convicted of smuggling drugs into Japan has been released from prison.
Yosef Banda of Bnei Brak, one of three boys who were the subject of a national and international campaign to achieve their freedom while awaiting trial in Japan, is now home. He was released two weeks ago following the signing of a presidential pardon by President Shimon Peres two weeks ago, Yeshiva World News reports.
Nearly two years ago, Banda was convicted in Japan and sentenced to 5-8 years in prison. However, Japan allowed him to serve most of his sentence in Israel, which he began doing ten months ago. He was known by the masses around the world who prayed for him as Yosef ben [son of] Ita Rivka.
Two other boys are still awaiting the final stages of their trials in Japan. They are known as Yoel Zev ben Mirel Reesa Chava and Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel.
The three were apprehended in Japan in April 2008 after drugs were found in their possession - inside a suitcase a “friend” asked them to take for him. The three said they did not know what was in the suitcase, and even passed a lie detector test to this effect. The "friend" was later found and is now serving a three-year prison term in Israel.