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Camacho trial in July
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Posted on May 19 2023
Vicente Camacho
The trial in the pending criminal case of Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) has been set for July.
Superior Court Associate
Judge Kenneth Govendo also set the criminal case against Camacho and his co-defendant, Tiepo Nikiti, for a bench trial instead of a jury trial, which is set to begin on July 17, at 9am.
The judge issues the verdict in a bench trial. A jury, on the other hand, decides in a jury trial.
Camacho and Nikiti face charges 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.
Camacho, 60, was arrested by the Department of Public Safety on the evening of Nov. 2, 2021, but he is out on a $1,250 bail.
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 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.
According to court documents, there had been animosity between Concepcion and his siblings, including Koch’s wife, Magdalena Concepcion-Koch. Camacho, who is also related to Concepcion, allegedly aligned himself with Concepcion, inserting himself in the family’s feud.
“Camacho, for his part, has [been] injecting himself into the Concepcion family matters as he has aligned himself with Concepcion,” court documents stated.
On Oct. 29, Koch alleges that two altercations happened; one between him and Concepcion, and the other was the alleged beating led by Camacho.
