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Kahapea codefendant
pleads no contest
in moving scams

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By Debra Barayuga
Star-Bulletin

One of three men indicted with fired city relocations official Michael Kahapea in alleged scams involving the city's West Loch and Middle Street projects has changed his plea.

Clayton Haumea, 55, pleaded no contest yesterday to one count each of first-degree theft in the Middle Street and West Loch scams, punishable by a maximum 10 years in prison. He also pleaded no contest to one count of money laundering in connection with the West Loch scam.

The investigation into fraud at Middle Street and West Loch grew out of the $6 million theft investigation involving the Ewa Villages project, all of which Kahapea oversaw. Kahapea was convicted earlier this month on 43 counts involving Ewa Villages.

Michael Green, attorney for Haumea, told the court that he will be seeking a deferred acceptance of his client's no contest plea. If granted, Haumea can wipe his record clean if he abides by conditions similar to probation.

Under a plea agreement, Haumea has agreed to testify against Kahapea at his upcoming trials involving the Middle Street and West Loch relocations and pay restitution.

The city will drop a money laundering charge against Haumea involving the Middle Street scam and has agreed not to seek extended terms of imprisonment at his sentencing, scheduled for Jan. 5.

In the Middle Street scam, Haumea was paid by the city in excess of $20,000 to move the Hawaii Meat Co. between July 1991 and June 1992, said Deputy Prosecutor Randy Lee.

While Haumea did perform the work, he is accused of kicking back some of the money to Kahapea, who was in charge of the relocation and the awarding of contracts to movers.

Haumea was also a tenant at West Loch when he was asked to move by the city to make way for redevelopment. Between October 1988 and April 1990, Haumea was paid $65,652 to move and he kicked back some of that money to Kahapea, Lee said.

Green said Haumea decided to plead no contest because he ran the risk of being painted with the same brush as Kahapea.