A well-known Hawaiian entertainer accused of sexual assault and kidnapping faces additional offenses.
A well-known Hawaiian entertainer accused of sexual assault and kidnapping faces additional offenses.
According to a police log, 46-year-old Keoki K. Kahumoku of Hilo was booked early Friday morning at the Kona police station on charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, fourth-degree sexual assault, harassment and criminal property damage.
He was arraigned Friday before Kona Circuit Judge Ronald Ibarra and pleaded not guilty, court records indicate. Trial was set for 9 a.m. Aug. 1, but the case will be heard by another judge if it goes to trial, since Ibarra is retiring in June.
The complaint alleges that on Oct. 13, Kahumoku broke into the home of an Ocean View woman, damaging a gate, harassed and exposed himself to the woman and stole gold bracelets with a value exceeding $750 from her.
The alleged victim was granted a temporary restraining order against Kahumoku on Nov. 29, according to court records.
The most severe charge, first-degree burglary, is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment upon conviction. The second-degree theft charge is a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kahumoku was indicted by a Kona grand jury on Dec. 13 in an unrelated case, in which he’s charged with two counts each of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of kidnapping. All charges are Class A felonies punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment, the alleged offenses took place between May 5 and 7, 2015, in Ka‘u. The document states Kahumoku “intentionally or knowingly restrained” the alleged victim, an adult woman, and subjected her “to an act of sexual penetration by strong compulsion” twice.
The complainant in that case, a different Ka‘u woman, and Kahumoku were granted mutual temporary restraining orders against each other on June 8, 2015, by Hilo District Judge Harry Freitas. The orders were issued without any findings of fact, court records indicate.
Kahumoku pleaded not guilty to those charges on Dec. 21.
During that court hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen said Kahumoku “did … self-report to being diagnosed with bipolar (disorder). … In addition, the defendant did self-report that he … completed substance abuse treatment six months ago.”
Kahumoku, whose music appears on five Grammy-winning slack-key guitar compilation albums, was found fit for trial, which has been set for Sept. 5 in that case, also in Kona.
He is free on supervised release, court records indicate.
The Tribune-Herald does not identify alleged sexual assault victims unless they choose to go public.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.