Competency evaluation sought for man in sexual assault case

The defense lawyer in the case of a man accused of raping two sisters has asked the court to have her client evaluated for competency.

During a preliminary hearing last Wednesday at the Superior Court, assistant public defender Vina Seelam, lawyer of Edwin S. Sablan, asked Superior Court Associate Judge Wesley Bogdan to grant a competency evaluation for her client. A competency evaluation is usually done to determine if a defendant is capable of understanding the charges against them.

Seelam also sought the dismissal of the court-appointed interpreter, saying the issue with Santos’ lack of understanding of the proceedings seems to be from a learning disability rather than an inability to understand English.

Sablan

Bogdan granted Seelam’s request for a competency hearing but denied the motion to dismiss the court-appointed interpreter.

Following the hearing, Bogdan reassigned the case to Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho to determine competency before vacating Sablan’s April 4, arraignment hearing.

According to court documents, Sablan, 40, is facing charges of sexual assault in in the first degree, attempted sexual assault in the first degree, and disturbing the peace.

Sablan’s alleged crimes were uncovered after police responded to a report of a disturbance at the man’s residence in Oleai.

The caller told responding officers that she and Sablan had an argument that took place two days earlier. Sablan allegedly told her to leave the house so she and one of her daughters did and stayed with family in Susupe. However, when they returned to get their belongings on March 18, Sablan refused to let them enter the house and told them to sleep outside.

The caller then told police that Sablan was not only angry with her because of their argument, but because she also witnessed him sexually assaulting her children a few months before. When police asked why she had not reported it sooner, the caller said she was scared to report it because Sablan might hurt her.

She said she first witnessed Sablan allegedly trying to have intercourse with her oldest daughter about four months ago in November 2021. She said she had woken up and went to check on her children in the room they share and that’s when she allegedly saw Sablan, who stopped what he was doing upon seeing her. Sablan reportedly ran after her to apologize.

The second incident she reportedly witnessed was in January 2022 with her other daughter. She told police that she had woken up and was walking out of her room at around 11pm to 12am when she allegedly saw Sablan with her other daughter. She said when Sablan saw her again, he ran after her to apologize.