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Killer of MHS guard is potential witness in Roberto’s trial
The U.S. government has disclosed that Randy Igisomar, one of three men who bludgeoned to death a school security guard in 2008, is a potential witness in the criminal case against former acting CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife director Raymond Borja Roberto.
Assistant U.S. attorney Rami S. Badawy asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI yesterday to issue a writ of habeas corpus directing the U.S. Marshals Service to bring Igisomar to the federal court on Friday, Aug. 8, and at any subsequent time ordered by the court.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona granted the U.S. government’s request.
Manglona ordered the Department of Corrections commissioner to deliver Igisomar to a federal law enforcement agent by no later than 3pm on Friday.
Igisomar is currently in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
He was sentenced in May 2011 to 22 years for the murder of Marianas High School security guard Efren Ballesteros. Igisomar’s two co-defendants in the murder case had also pleaded guilty and are currently serving prison terms at DOC.
In the U.S. government’s petition for writ of habeas corpus, Badawy said that Igisomar is a potential witness in Roberto’s case, which is scheduled to proceed to trial on Aug. 11, 2014. Badawy said the prosecutor must meet with Igisomar to prepare him for the upcoming trial.
The prosecutor said a writ of habeas corpus is necessary in order to prepare Igisomar for trial, and also to ensure his safety within and outside of the Department of Corrections.
The third superseding indictment had charged Roberto with three counts of enticement of a minor and one count of witness tampering.
Badawy alleged that Roberto persuaded three girls to engage in prostitution or in sexual activity from March 1, 2013, to July 18, 2013.
On the witness tampering matter, Badawy stated that the offense happened on April 24, 2014 while Roberto was detained pending trial.
Badawy said the defendant attempted to obstruct, influence, and impede the case by attempting to influence the testimony of an individual. The prosecutor said Roberto attempted to persuade the same individual to alter, destroy, and conceal evidence.
Roberto has pleaded not guilty.
