Amputee gets 5 yrs for slashing girlfriend’s face

The Superior Court has imposed a five-year jail term on an ex-convict who, despite an amputated right arm, still managed to slash the face of his girlfriend with a trimmer blade out of jealousy.

“You stay away from her [victim]. It’s over. She had suffered enough beatings from you. Now it’s time to start learning,” Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo said in sentencing Aimiji Caleb Yoshio.

The judge also ordered him not to consume alcoholic beverages during his probation. “Because alcohol what gets you in trouble. You’ve got to fight the alcohol,” Govendo said.

The judge ordered the defendant to pay $358 in medical restitution to the victim and required him to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

Yoshio has been in jail since April 25, 2005.

Yoshio, a native of the Republic of Marshall Islands, was charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of aggravated assault and battery, and one count of assault and battery.

On Nov. 8, 2005, Yoshio entered into a plea agreement with the government and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery.

Court papers show that, on April 25, 2005 at 12:31am, police responded to a call about a stabbing incident in San Antonio.

When the police arrived, they saw the victim covering her bloodied face with her hand. Police then arrested Yoshio, who was prevented by the victim’s neighbor from leaving the house until the arrival of the police.

The victim suffered a two-inch cut on the right cheek that required 11 stitches to close, police said.

James David told police he was watching TV when he heard the victim yelling outside the apartment. David checked outside and saw Yoshio and the victim struggling on a wooden bench.

The defendant, who was holding a garment trimmer blade, was on top of the victim.

David slapped the weapon out of Yoshio’s hand and pulled out the victim.

At that time, Yoshio was drunk. Apparently he got mad when he said his wife talking with a male friend.

The girlfriend said the defendant used to be a nice and loving person, but when the hospital amputated his right arm in April 2003 due to diabetes, he became violent, possessive and jealous.

The Saipan Tribune learned that Yoshio used to be a teacher’s aide at Queen of Peace Elementary School in Majuro and a firefighter at the Kwajelein Missile Range. He moved to Saipan in 1991 to work at Duty Free Shoppers until 1998.

In August 2002 Yoshio was convicted of assault and battery for beating up the same victim.

In 1999, the defendant was convicted of two counts of assault and battery, two counts of criminal contempt, two counts of disturbing the peace, and one count of assault and battery for beating up his former girlfriend.