Kona robbery suspects make court appearances

Two Kona men charged with robbery after one was arrested in a stolen truck earlier this week moved closer to trial Friday.

Alihilani Joshua Stringert, 28, of Kailua-Kona, waived his right to a preliminary hearing before Kona District Court Judge Margaret Masunaga because of a “potential plea offer” between the defense and prosecution, said defense attorney Dean Kauka. During the preliminary hearing, the state would have had to show it had probable cause to support charges of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, two counts of robbery and one count of theft.

The case was subsequently transferred to Circuit Court, where he is set to appear Monday morning.

The second man charged with robbery, Christiansan Ikaika Kaawa, 22, of Kailua-Kona, also appeared for a preliminary hearing in Kona District Court, however, that hearing was continued to Monday at the request of the state. The state said it had just received the case information Thursday afternoon and was unable to prepare subpoenas for witnesses to appear in time for Friday’s hearing.

Both men were scheduled to have their preliminary hearings Thursday, but the public defender’s office said they had conflicts with both cases. They withdrew from the cases and other attorneys were appointed.

Stringert was arrested with a woman Tuesday in a stolen truck in Kailua-Kona. Kaawa was also arrested that day.

Kaawa was charged with one count of robbery stemming from an Aug. 4 robbery in the parking lot Ilima Center, near the intersection of Kuakini Highway and Palani Road. On that date, a 32-year-old Kailua-Kona man reported being robbed of his bag in the parking lot of a shopping center near the intersection of Kuakini Highway and Palani Road.

Stringert was charged with unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, two counts of robbery and one count of theft. One of the robbery charges stems from the Aug. 4 incident while the second stems from a robbery Sept. 10 in which a Captain Cook woman’s purse was taken as she was about to enter a business on Kaiwi Street.