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OAG files case vs Pai’s wife for alleged theft of utilities
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Posted on Oct 20 2011
The Office of the Attorney General filed Wednesday a criminal case against the wife of Public Auditor Michael Pai for allegedly stealing utility services amounting to over $51,000.
The OAG charged Joanna C. Pai with one count of theft of utility services.
Saipan Tribune tried to obtain comments from Pai yesterday, but she is reportedly currently in Hawaii with her husband.
The charging information states that the alleged theft of utility services occurred on Aug. 30, 2011 on Saipan.
The information showed Chief Prosecutor Michael L. Ernest’s name as the one who filed the one-page document but the signature on top of Ernest’s name was that of assistant attorney general Shelli Neal.
Saipan Tribune tried to obtain more details about the case but Ernest and Neal have yet to respond as of press time yesterday.
Saipan Tribune learned from a source that the alleged theft involved Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s power services.
The Superior Court’s deputy clerk signed the penal summons on Wednesday that directed Mrs. Pai to appear before the Superior Court on Nov. 14, 2011, at 9am to respond to the suit. “If you do not appear, an application may be made for the issuance of a warrant for your arrest,” the penal summons states.
The filing of the case comes on the heels of the unauthorized release of a December 2010 Office of the Public Auditor investigation report, which states that Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham “violated criminal prohibitions” of both the Commonwealth Ethics Code Act and the Commonwealth Election Act when he hosted a campaign party for then delegate candidate Joseph N. Camacho at Gov. Benigno R. Fitial’s house in Gualo Rai on Aug. 28, 2010.
