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Court dismisses DPL employee from lawsuit
The federal court has dismisses all allegations against a Department of Public Lands employee due to insufficient evidence.
Il Hwan Kim and KSA Corp. had sued Department of Public Lands official Ramon S. Salas on the grounds of racketeering.
Kim alleged that Salas was part of a racketeering scheme that cost Kim and KSA thousands of dollars.
Yesterday, the federal court granted Salas’ motion for summary judgment, dismissing all allegations against him.
According to the docket obtained from the NMI District Court, evidence provided by Kim against Salas were inadmissible, or not sufficient to create a question of material fact to counter Salas’ motion.
Kim initiated the lawsuit by first filing a verified complaint that was signed by KSA Corp. vice president Eddy Hocog.
The court ruled the complaint “inadmissible evidence” because Hocog was never mentioned to be present in Kim’s allegations, showing no personal knowledge of the situation.
Kim also provided a spreadsheet, created and verified by himself, as evidence of his wired transfers. To contest the spreadsheet, Salas provided the court with land clearing permits from the Department of Public Lands and consulting contracts with Kim.
Kim also alleged that Salas demanded payments, one in October 2009, of $50,000. The spreadsheet provided by Kim contradicted his own declaration because it showed no wire transfer of that amount around that time.
Kim’s declaration also claims that, through the evidence provided, Salas and the two other persons that Kim was suing, Jin An Hun and Eun Taek Jeong, used Kim’s money and pretended to assist with his investment.
The court decided that nothing from the evidence that was provided demonstrates that Salas agreed to participate in a conspiracy, knew of a conspiracy, or participated in racketeering.
The final judgment to dismiss all of the allegations against Salas was ordered yesterday by NMI District Court Chief Judge Ramona Manglona.
