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By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Hidehisa Semba, who is alleged to have Yakuza ties,
is accused of brutalizing his ex-wife here.

$500,000 bail for man
accused of kidnap, torture

By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

A Circuit Court judge has ordered a 52-year-old man with alleged ties to the Japanese Yakuza held on $500,000 bail for allegedly kidnapping, beating and torturing his ex-wife.

However, Hidehisa Semba cannot post bail without a further hearing, at which time other conditions of release may be imposed, Judge Richard Perkins said today.

The state had concerns about Semba being released and had filed a motion to have him held without bail.

Semba is charged with kidnapping his 50-year-old ex-wife, then beating and torturing her with a stun gun for nearly 12 hours at a hotel near Honolulu Airport last month. He allegedly threatened the woman about his alleged ties to Japanese organized crime during her ordeal, said deputy prosecutor Lynne McGivern.

Attorney William Harrison said in court today that he had just been retained by Semba and asked for a continuance on the state's motion so he could go over nearly 200 pages of discovery.

McGivern agreed to the $500,000 bail on the condition that Semba cannot be allowed to post bail unless he appears before the court for further conditions of release.

When Semba was arrested, police recovered a bag allegedly belonging to him containing $21,000 cash, drugs and other items.