QUESTION: What ever happened to the investigation into the Honolulu Liquor Commission's administrator that began more than two months ago?

ANSWER: The investigation into Administrator Dewey Kim is still ongoing but may be completed in the next couple of weeks, said commission Chairman Dennis Enomoto.

Details of the investigation cannot be released because it's an ongoing case involving personnel matters, he said. He has said that the investigation was not a criminal matter.

Enomoto said placing the administrator on leave is part of the process of handling complaints and an independent investigator is looking into the case.

The commission put Kim on paid administrative leave during a special executive session Nov. 30.

The administrator's position pays between $7,189 and $11,345 a month.

In December, Kim told the Star-Bulletin he would be exonerated after the investigation is finished.

“;It's not a major thing,”; he said. “;Maybe it's a major thing for the person that complained.”;

In the interview, he said he had been battling dozens of complaints since becoming administrator in 2006 because he cleaned up the agency.

The commission hired Kim after eight former liquor inspectors were indicted in 2002 and later convicted of taking bribes in exchange for ignoring violations.

Kim could not be reached yesterday for comment.