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Court grants change of third-party custodian for 1 of 3 rape suspects
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Posted on May 28 2019
The Superior Court granted Joseph Aquino Saimon’s requests to allow his girlfriend of a few months to serve as his third-party custodian instead of his father.
Saimon, together with one of his brothers and his nephew, has been charged with raping a woman in 2018.
Superior Court Associate Judge Theresa Kim-Tenorio hesitated allowing the transfer at first, concerned as she is that the relationship is still new and, if they were to break up, the girlfriend would be legally obligated to carry out the third-party custodian duties.
The court was also concerned about her three sons who still live with her, two of whom are teenagers.
After much discussion, Kim-Tenorio granted Saimon’s request last May 14.
Saimon will be waiting out his trial in the custody of his girlfriend and all bail conditions still apply.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, Saimon allegedly raped a drunk woman back in 2018, along with his brother, Romeo, and his nephew, Richmond Keybond.
Police said that the victim personally went to the Department of Public Safety to file a complaint against Saimon.
The victim told police that Saimon arrived at her workplace between 9am and 10am and forced her to leave with him, threatening that he would print her nude photos, post them at her work, and send them to her family and friends if she does not go with him.
She said she was forced to enter Saimon’s vehicle but that she did not know where he would take her.
She said Saimon brought her to his house and, when she refused to have sex with him, he brandished a machete at her. The victim told police she was scared, was crying silently, and was in pain.
Police were able to retrieve the machete later.
Medical reports from the sexual assault examination noted bruising on the victim’s neck and forearm as well as injuries in her privates.
