2 men arrested for kidnapping, other charges

A man sustained serious eye injuries after his drinking partner allegedly beat him up while another held him at a residence in Kagman Sunday midnight.

The victim, Willie L. Brundidge Jr., suffered a fracture to the right eye and needed to be seen by another doctor. His right eye was swollen, police said.

Police detective Therese S. Kintoki said that when she visited Brundidge in the emergency room of the Commonwealth Health Center on Sunday at 3:30am, he kept falling in and out of consciousness.

That same day, police arrested the suspects—Joy Inais Fred, 23, and Titomir Kapileo Bhuiyan, 21. They have been detained for kidnapping, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.

At yesterday’s hearing, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho kept the $11,250 cash bail the court earlier imposed on each defendant.

Assistant attorney general Heather Barcinas had recommended increasing the $11,250 cash bail to $50,000 due to the seriousness of the crime and Fred’s criminal history.

Preliminary hearing will be on Friday at 1:30pm.

Detective Kintoki said a police officer responded to a house in Kagman after a call was received about a beating incident on Sunday at 12:55am.

At 1:22am, two police officers saw suspects Fred and Bhuiyan exiting a car in the parking lot of the American Memorial Park. When confronted, Bhuiyan followed the police’s instruction, but one officer had to use force to put Fred on the ground for allegedly refusing to listen.

A female identified as Fifi, who was allegedly in the car with the suspects, was also arrested. Saipan Tribune opted not to disclose her full name at this time as it’s not clear yet whether she will be charged.

Kintoki said that during an interview later that afternoon, Brundidge stated he and Fifi had been drinking alcohol when they decided to go to the residence of her cousin. Fifi then asked her cousins Fred and Bhuiyan to go with them.

The four stopped by a store, bought a bottle of gin and proceeded to Fifi’s house, where they resumed drinking.

As Bhuiyan, Fred, and Fifi were talking, Fred got up and allegedly punched Brundidge in the face. When the victim fell to the ground, Fred kept punching him in the face while Bhuiyan held him down.

Fred and Bhuiyan then forced Brundidge to get in the extra cab of the victim’s vehicle and Fred drove the car.

Brundidge said he can’t remember much because he was in a daze. He did remember that they stopped somewhere where Fred punched him again as Bhuiyan held him.