Confession cited in hijacking of van
Advertiser Staff
A man accused of hijacking a tour van and four passengers last month at Kahe Point Beach Park has confessed twice over a period of eight days but withdrew the first of his confessions, according to a court document.
Police were given the name of a likely suspect two days after a van with four tourists inside was hijacked Jan. 18, according to a statement filed in court by detectives who worked on the case.
Kenui
Detectives went to a home in Wahiawa on Jan. 20 to question Ricky K. Kenui. Kenui then went to the Wahiawa police station with them. At the station, he first confessed to taking the van and then retracted his confession, according to the court statement.
Kenui was not arrested then. But detectives continued to develop evidence against him.
After Kenui's release, a woman told investigators that a man she knew only as "Ricky" had approached her and asked if she could cash some personal checks and told her that he had been involved in a robbery at Kahe Point, according to the document. When investigators showed the woman a photo of Kenui, she identified him as the man who spoke to her.
Detectives are requesting the public's help in finding the possible getaway driver in the hijacking. The man, who is homeless, goes by the first name Jacob, is believed to be in his 30s and is described as being 5 feet 10, with a muscular build. Those with information may call Detective Bert Soria at 529-3357. Anonymous calls may be made to CrimeStoppers at 955-8300, or *CRIME on cellular phones.
As evidence continued to mount against Kenui in the van hijacking, he was arrested in connection with a truck break-in at the Wahiawa Wendy's restaurant on Jan. 22.
The 1996 Mercury Mystique that Kenui allegedly drove to the restaurant was searched on Jan. 24. Police found a towel identical to one left in the van by one of three girls who were in it along with a man when it was hijacked.
Police then found two witnesses who recalled seeing the blue Mercury, which is owned by Kenui, at the beach park at the time the van was stolen.
According to the statement filed in District Court, detectives contacted Kenui a second time and asked if he would take a lie-detector test and submit to a second interview. Kenui agreed and, after waiving his constitutional rights, confessed to taking the van, holding the passengers against their will and brandishing a "Leatherman-type knife" while taking the property of one of the van passengers, court documents state.
Kenui was charged last Sunday with armed robbery and auto theft. A preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. today.
