A murder case that has been strange from the very beginning has suddenly turned even stranger.

Joji Obara, who is currently on trial for raping and murdering Lucie Blackman in 2000, has reportedly paid 100 million yen in “condolence money” to the slain woman’s family.

Though Obara has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, his lawyers claim that he paid the money out of a feeling of “moral responsibility.”

According to the lawyers, 5 million yen was sent Monday and the remaining 95 million yen on Thursday to a bank account belonging to the woman’s father, Tim Blackman.

They said Tim Blackman visited Tokyo last week and confirmed the money transfers by signing a written statement they drew up in English. According to the lawyers, it says, “I accept the one hundred million yen as condolence money to my daughter Lucie Blackman paid on behalf of Mr. Obara.”

The signed statement also states that Blackman leaves “the judgment (or adjudication) to the Japanese court,” and that he is accepting the money on behalf of the entire family.

In April, Lucie’s mother, Jane Steare, told the Tokyo District Court that Obara offered to pay her about 44 million yen, but she had rejected “all and any financial offers from the accused.” At a news conference in April, Tim Blackman announced that Obara offered to pay him around 57 million “to stay away from court and not to give evidence.”

In addition to charges related to the Lucie Blackman death, Obara also has been indicted for nine other drug and rape cases between 1992 and 2000, during which an Australian woman also died. Obara has pleaded not guilty to all charges.