An 18-year-old youth was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery yesterday after Family Court waived its jurisdiction over him.

Landis Kamalii, who listed no permanent local address, was arrested at Circuit Court at 9:40 a.m. after the Family Court ruling and charged as an adult at 3:15 p.m. Kamalii is being held in lieu of $25,000.

The alleged robberies occurred while Kamalii was 17 and under Family Court jurisdiction.

Kamalii is accused of confronting two boys, ages 17 and 18, on Kamehameha Highway in Kahalu'u at 11 p.m. on Aug. 18 as they were walking to a store, threatening them with a butterfly knife and demanding money from them. The victims refused and were punched and slapped by Kamalii.

Friends of the suspect intervened and broke up the robbery, police said.