Columbus Academy murder charges dropped

Murder charges have been dropped against the four remaining Japanese men in the Columbus Academy case.

In the High Court at Auckland yesterday the Crown reduced the charge against the four to a lesser count of manslaughter.

Ryu Fukushima, Ryuji Hiraki, Nobu Oshima and Masato Fujita are charged in relation to the death of 22-year-old Nozomu Shinozaki at the West Auckland academy in February last year.

Their trial is due to start in the High Court next month.