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Trial for both Camacho and co-defendant is vacated
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Posted on Jun 09 2023
Vicente Camacho
The bench trial for the pending criminal case against Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan) and his co-defendant that was originally set for July has been vacated at the request of one of the defendants.
The parties in this case went before Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth L. Govendo yesterday for a pre-trial conference, during which it was learned that one of the defendants in the case, Tiepo A. Nikiti, is in Guam to escort his mother, who is on medical referral and will possibly be leaving for the U.S. mainland for more treatment. It was Nikiti has requested to vacate the trial set for July 17.
The CNMI government was represented by Chief Prosecutor Chester Hinds while Camacho appeared with his counsel, Michael A. White. Nikiti did not appear but was represented by his court appointed counsel, assistant public defender Emily Thomsen.
The government also updated the court on the status of the victim, who is also ill, and that it is still moving forward with the trial without the victim.
Based on the information brought in court yesterday, Govendo vacated the bench trial scheduled for July 17, and set a status conference the same day at 9am.
At this hearing, the court ordered that an update on the status of Nikiti’s mother’s medical referral be given and the court will also hear Camacho’s request for a speedy trial.
Camacho, 60, and Nikiti face charges for allegedly assaulting Commonwealth Ports Authority master electrician Steven Koch while he was on a walk with his daughter on the evening of Oct. 29, near their home in China Town. Camacho is out on bail.
Due to the alleged assault, Koch reportedly suffered abrasions, bruising, and pain in his head and body from the blows, and was taken to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp.
The assault incident is believed to have stemmed from a longstanding animosity between Koch and his brother-in-law, Concepcion.
