Kahapea must repay $866,275 to city in theft convictions

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

Former city housing official Michael Kahapea was ordered in court yesterday to repay the city $866,275 to make up for money he stole from city projects.

Kahapea had pleaded no contest to stealing about $1.54 million from the three city projects between 1988 and 1997. Under a plea agreement, Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto sentenced him to 10 years.

The thefts involved stealing from coin-operated laundry equipment at two city apartment projects and taking city funds that were associated with relocations needed to make way for the city bus maintenance facility on Middle Street and the city's West Loch housing project.

Yesterday, Sakamoto agreed with city Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee, who had argued that $866,275 of the money that was stolen benefitted Kahapea directly.

Kahapea will be required to pay 10 percent of any earnings from prison jobs. And when Kahapea turns 65, he will be required to turn over to the state all $497 a month he in retirement pay from his city job.

Kahapea, 58, is also serving a 50-year sentence after he was found guilty last year of stealing $5.8 million from the city.