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Rep. Camacho pleads not guilty
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Posted on Nov 17 2021
Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) pleaded not guilty yesterday to the allegation that he, along with two others, assaulted a man in the village of China Town last Oct. 29.
During his arraignment hearing before Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo yesterday, the lawmaker entered a plea of not guilty to charges of assault and battery, among other charges.
Camacho, who remains out on bail while he awaits further court proceedings, was ordered to return to court for a status conference before Superior Court Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio on Jan. 11, at 1:30pm.
Meanwhile, one of two men accused of abetting Camacho in the alleged assault, Tiepo Nikiti, showed up in court yesterday pursuant to a penal summons issued by the clerk of court. However, Tiepo was ordered to return to court on Nov. 29, at 9am to be arraigned and for a penal summons hearing.
Nikiti and Camacho were both charged with assault and battery and disturbing the peace for allegedly assaulting Commonwealth Ports Authority master electrician Steven Koch while he was on a walk with his daughter on the evening of Oct. 29, near their home in China Town.
Vicente Camacho
The other individual who was also accused of assaulting Koch is reportedly a 14-year-old juvenile.
Camacho, 60, was arrested by the Department of Public Safety on the evening of Nov. 2, 2021, but he immediately posted $1,250 cash bail and is out of custody.
Due to the alleged assault, Koch reportedly suffered abrasions, bruising, and pain in his head and body from the blows, and was taken to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. for examination.
On Nov. 1, Koch, his wife and daughter asked the Superior Court to issue a temporary restraining order against Camacho, Nikiti, Ignacio “Ike” S. Concepcion, and Fiel Reynaldo Ortiz. This was later granted, with Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho finding cause on Nov. 12 and issuing a TRO and a one-year protective order against Camacho, Nikiti, Concepcion, and Ortiz.
The assault incident is believed to have stemmed from a longstanding animosity between Koch and his brother-in-law, Concepcion.
