Posted on: Wednesday, August 29, 2001

Former Ala Wai golf starter pleads guilty

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

A former starter at the city's Ala Wai golf course pleaded guilty yesterday in Circuit Court to accepting bribes on two occasions last year to give golfers preferential treatment.

Under the terms of an agreement with the city prosecutor's office, Janice Kakugawa, 55, will be placed on five years probation, will be required to pay a $10,000 fine when she is sentenced Nov. 20, and will have to pay another $5,000 over the term of her probation.

In addition, Kakugawa will be barred from playing golf on all Honolulu municipal courses for five years and must write a letter of apology to be posted at all city-owned golf courses.

Kakugawa entered the guilty pleas just one day after golfer Yong Cha Toyomura pleaded guilty in Circuit Court to paying bribes to an Ala Wai starter to get preferential starting times for herself and her golfing partners.

City Deputy Prosecutor Rowena Somerville, who handled the cases against Toyomura and Kakugawa, said bribes typically amounted to $5 per player.

Police began an undercover investigation at the golf course after regular golfers there noticed that a certain group of people seemed to be getting the most favorable starting times several times a week.

Somerville said a trial for former Ala Wai starter Lawrence Helekahi, 35, is pending.