Convicted banker in domestic battery case

By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer

Federal prosecutors have accused former Bank of Honolulu chairman and developer Sukamto Sia of violating conditions of his release on $1.5 million bail and have asked that Sia be held without bail while awaiting sentencing on March 21 on bankruptcy fraud charges.

A hearing before federal Judge David Ezra on the bail revocation request is set for Wednesday.

According to papers filed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Nakamura and Craig Recktenwald, Los Angeles police charged Sia with domestic battery Feb. 12 after they responded to a suspicious phone call.

But Sia's lawyer William McCorriston yesterday said the Los Angeles city attorney declined to prosecute Sia on the domestic battery charge.

Sia pleaded guilty to three bankruptcy fraud felony charges in Honolulu on Oct. 19. Ezra allowed Sia to remain free on bail while awaiting sentencing.

Nakamura and Recktenwald claim Sia assaulted Kelly Randall, his long-time girlfriend and codefendant in the bankruptcy fraud case.

In addition, the two maintain that Sia stayed out past curfew on at least two occasions; told Los Angeles police he had never been arrested before and that an electronic monitoring device strapped to his wrist was a watch; and that Sia had access to a loaded handgun that was found in an end table in the bedroom where he slept.

McCorriston said Randall will testify on Sia's behalf at the hearing on Wednesday.

He also disputes the claim by Nakamura and Recktenwald that Sia had "constructive possession" of the handgun found in his bedroom.

Sia violated his curfew by eight minutes the night of the incident, but that should not be reason to revoke his bail, McCorriston said.