NEWS BRIEFS Astronaut Mukai to arrive June 13

Astronaut Mukai to arrive June 13

Astronaut Chiaki Mukai will arrive here on June 13,1999 for a four-day visit. During her stay, Mukai will be the keynote speaker in the Asia Pacific Nursing Conference, commencement speaker in Hopwood Junior High School and Marianas High School graduations, meet with members of the Legislature and tour the Commonwealth Health Center.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio will present the key to the Northern Marianas in a simple ceremony at Saipan International Airport.

Missing person found dead

William Gerald Torres was found dead last Sunday along the ravine near the Suicide Cliff after a search team was dispatched over the weekend to locate him.

According to a police report, the Department of Public Safety received a call last Saturday about an abandoned vehicle at the Suicide Cliff.

Although, police officers did a preliminary search, they failed to locate the owner of the vehicle.

The following day, the family of the 22-year old Torres officially reported him missing after learning about his abandoned car.

Together with DPS personnel, the Torres family rented a helicopter to facilitate the search. The chopper then spotted the victim near a ravine below the look out point. He was positively identified by his family.

The press statement said no conclusions have been made as to the cause of his death. Police investigators are consulting with the Attorney General’s Office on whether to perform an autopsy. (SDA)

31 months for extortionist

Chinese national Shuji Liu will spend 31 months inside the Federal prison after he was convicted for extortion. The U.S. District Court also ordered him deported upon completion of the jail term.

Likewise, U.S. District Court Judge Alex Munson asked him to pay close to $4,000 restitution fee.

Together with co-defendants, Liu was charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion.

Sometime in July last year, his group went to Guo Hua Lu’s residence in Chalan LauLau and demanded from the victim some $400. However, Guo refused to give the money.

Upon their return to Guo’s residence, his group again asked demanded the victim to produce $1,000 by the end of the day.

However, Guo was beaten up by the group when the victim attempted to leave the apartment.

SC sets bail for misdemeanor, felony and theft

Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama yesterday set separate bail for a group of men who are facing charges of misdemeanor, felony and theft.

Presenting a probable cause for their arrest, government lawyer Ramona Manglona asked Mario Satur and Glen Ilo to pay $1,000 each for their temporary release.

Both men figured in an incident that took place at the Duty Free Shop in Garapan on May 28, when they are facing misdemeanor charges.

Lizama told both men to stay at least 100 meters away from the establishment while the case against them is still being heard.

Meanwhile, Francisco Reyes Santos, Joey Cabrera Duenas and Jesus Reyes Santos have been named for felony and theft charges after the government found probable cause against the three suspects.

A tourist couple, who were staying at Daichi Hotel, found their belongings missing after they took a swim which were believed to have been taken by the suspects.

Lizama ordered each to pay $1,000 bail and told the group to stay away from any hotel establishment on the island.