A Honolulu prosecutor has been suspended while superiors investigate why he gave thousands of dollars to three victims of an alleged assault.

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle told KHON2 yesterday that the case involving Deputy City Prosecutor Russell Uehara raises the appearance of potential corruption and that it will be thoroughly investigated by his office.

According to Carlisle, Uehara said he distributed three checks, each for $1,500, because he was upset that the assault case had been dismissed and he felt it was a way to atone for what had happened.

Anna Naeole is related to the three victims. She says Uehara told them he had "screwed up," that he hadn't done his job. But she says the family didn't know what to think.

— Associated Press

MAN IDENTIFIED IN KAUA'I DROWNING

The man who died this week as a result of an apparent drowning at Hanakapi'ai Beach has been identified as Klaudiusz Piotr Dragun, 25, from Poland, Kaua'i Police Department officials said.

The man hiked into the Hanakapi'ai Valley and decided to jump in the water upon his arrival at the beach on Monday, A strong current swept him out to sea, officials said.

Another hiker notified lifeguards at Ke'e Beach about the 11:56 a.m. incident.

DLNR TO REMOVE SAILBOAT AT MAKUA

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will remove the sailboat that went aground on the Makua beach area of Ka'ena Point State Park earlier this week.

The gates to the area were to be closed last night and reopened after the boat is removed and any debris is cleaned up.

The boat ran aground Tuesday. The owner has not been able to remove the vessel, requiring the state to hire a marine salvage company that will use a tugboat to pull the rigged boat out to sea on the high tide.

TEEN CHARGED IN ARMED ROBBERY

Cameron Hilongo, 18, of Palolo has been charged with two class A felonies — robbery in the first degree and kidnapping — in connection with Monday's early-morning robbery of a security guard at knifepoint.

The robbery occurred near the University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus.

Hilongo was arrested the day of the robbery, police said.

FORMER MAYORAL HOPEFUL ARRESTED

Former mayoral candidate Panos Prevedouros was arrested at 8:10 a.m. yesterday on a contempt of court warrant.

Prevedouros, 47, posted $250 bail for the misdemeanor contempt warrant. No other details were available and Prevedouros could not be reached late yesterday. The University of Hawai'i engineering professor ran unsuccessfully in the September primary for Honolulu mayor.