Officials mum on Fitial case until after sentencing

The administration of Gov. Eloy S. Inos has yet to issue a statement on the case of former governor Benigno R. Fitial who will face sentencing next week.

Press Secretary Ivan Blanco said it is better to wait for the sentencing before a statement from the Office of Governor is issued.

Fitial

“Let’s wait until before the sentencing and perhaps then we can comment on the case,” Blanco said.

In an earlier interview via e-mail, CNMI Public Auditor Michael Pai said he does not have any comments “as the sentencing is still pending.”

Legislators at Capital Hill also echoed the same comment, opting to find out what the sentencing will be before issuing comments.

Fitial pleaded guilty to the charges of misconduct in public office and conspiracy to commit theft of services in May.

Associate Judge David A. Wiseman will hold the sentencing on June 24 at 1:30pm.

Fitial on Friday requested a lenient sentence of no prison term, but Office of the Public Auditor legal counsel George L. Hasselback is recommending to slap him with a two-year imprisonment with no parole, while chief prosecutor Leonardo Rapadas is recommending a sentence of more than a year in prison.

Hasselback, who is serving as a special prosecutor in the case, filed a memorandum Thursday last week that recommends a sentence of five years imprisonment, all suspended except for two years with no possibility of parole, a fine of $5,000 and a 10-year ban on employment with the CNMI government.

Rapadas recommends a one-year sentence to be served at the Department of Corrections, with such sentence to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed for count seven conspiracy to commit theft of services. Rapadas asks the court to impose a fine, with the amount at the court’s discretion.

The offense of misconduct in public office refers to the time when Fitial had his masseuse—a female Chinese who was at that time a federal prisoner at the Department of Corrections—temporarily released so she could massage him at his house on Jan. 8, 2010.

The conspiracy to commit theft of services refers to Fitial’s role in former attorney general Edward T. Buckingham’s efforts to evade lawful service of process during his departure from the Commonwealth at the Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport on Aug. 3 or 4, 2012.