Posted on: Wednesday, April 30, 2003

Japanese man indicted in shop owner's death

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 33-year-old Japanese national was indicted by an O'ahu grand jury yesterday on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of a Waikiki shop owner.

Daika Iba is accused of murdering Michiko Sakata, 44, of 'Ewa Beach. Sakata was injured in an April 22 robbery at the Seawind Surf and Street on Royal Hawaiian Avenue; she died three days later.

The city medical examiner said Sakata died from brain damage caused by strangulation.

Iba originally was charged with second-degree robbery and attempted murder. But he was indicted only on the murder charge following Sakata's death.

If convicted, Iba faces a mandatory life term in prison with the possibility of parole. He is being held at the O'ahu Community Correctional Center on $200,000 bail.

Police responded to a holdup alarm at 1:24 p.m. April 22 and found Iba sitting on Sakata's back, according to a police affidavit filed in District Court. Sakata was face-down on the floor unconscious and not breathing, the document said.

Officers ordered Iba off Sakata and found a wad of currency — about $8,370 — in his back pocket, the affidavit said. Police said the money was taken from a cash drawer in the store.

Two officers performed CPR on Sakata and she began to breath on her own and had a pulse. She was taken to Straub Clinic & Hospital where she died Friday.

Advertiser staff writer Rod Ohira contributed to this report.