Couple slapped with assault, other charges

The woman who, together with her boyfriend, allegedly attacked and threatened to kill her mother appeared at the Superior Court yesterday, and were restricted from leaving Saipan.

Associate Judge David Wiseman also imposed a $5,000 bail each for 25-year-old Zinita Arlene Cabrera John and 29-year-old Jack Ngiraibuuch.

The judge set the couple’s arraignment next Monday. The judge appointed the Public Defender’s Office and lawyer David G. Banes to represent John and Ngiraibuuch, respectively, in the court proceedings.

Police charged John and Ngiraibuuch with assault, disturbing the peace, criminal mischief, child abuse and possession of controlled substance.

Lawmen arrested the couple Thursday for allegedly attacking John’s mother, Ana B. Mangohig, and threatening to kill the latter and her family.

Police said the couple also threatened to burn the mom’s house. One of the two suspects allegedly kicked John’s pregnant sister, Joanne Cabrera. Operatives reportedly recovered two sticks of marijuana from the defendants when they were arrested.

Based on police investigation, the assault on the mother allegedly happened after a heated altercation between her and her daughter. The mom had reportedly advised John to have her boyfriend clean up his mess inside the victim’s house. Accusing the mother of disliking her boyfriend, John allegedly began throwing things inside the house and, together with Ngiraibuuch, hit the mom’s head with a picture frame.

John then pushed her mother, while Ngiraibuuch threatened to kill the victim by getting a kitchen knife and making stabbing motions to her chest while she was holding her three-year-old daughter, said police detective Andrea Ozawa.

Ozawa said the mom, carrying the child, ran into her room, but the defendants tailed them and began kicking and hammering on the room’s door.

The detective said the defendants continued to break things inside the house. Before the defendants left, they allegedly threatened to kill the mother and her husband, as well as the youngest daughter, and then burn the house. One of the defendants also allegedly kicked the pregnant Joanne Cabrera, who came upon the scene.

Police arrived later to investigate the mother’s complaint. While officers were conducting the probe at the scene, the defendants showed up and were promptly arrested. (John Ravelo)