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Probable cause found against man accused of sexually assaulting 2 women
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Posted on May 11 2016
Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho yesterday found probable cause as to five of six charges filed against Mollik Sagar, a man accused of sexually assaulting two women who were swimming at Grotto area in Marpi.
At a preliminary hearing, Camacho found probable cause to charge the 35-year-old Sagar with sexual assault in the second degree, sexual assault in the first degree, assault and battery, and two counts of disturbing the peace.
Camacho ordered Sagar to answer the charges.
The judge, however, did not find probable cause to charge the defendant with another count of assault and battery, and dismissed the charge.
Assistant attorney general Betsy Weintraub, counsel for the government, stated that assault and battery is a lesser included offense of sexual assault in the second degree.
Weintraub called to the witness stand police detective Catherine B. Pangelinan, who is the officer in charge of the case. Assistant public defender Michael Sato is counsel for Sagar.
Camacho set the arraignment for May 16 at 9am.
Pangelinan stated in her report that Rudolpho Hermosilla Jr. responded to Grotto last May 1 at 11:34am after a lifeguard called to report about a sexual assault incident.
The two Korean women, who were in a pavilion, told the officer that Sagar sexually assaulted them while they were swimming.
The women alleged that they arrived at Grotto, but they could not swim because they were not carrying lifejackets.
The women said Sagar and another Bangladeshi man approached and asked to pay them $25 each in exchange for guiding them in the swimming area.
The women agreed because they know how to swim without lifejackets.
