Trial began Wednesday for a Honolulu police officer accused of falsifying a police report that led to a sergeant receiving overtime pay he was not due. Officer Leighton Kato is one of seven officers charged with tampering with a government record. He and two sergeants also face theft charges.
Kato was assigned to HPD’s selective enforcement unit also known as its DUI unit. Kato is a 10-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department. He’s accused of tampering with a government record by falsely stating in a November 2009 arrest report the presence of a sergeant at a DUI roadblock who was not there.
"Defendant Leighton Kato’s report indicates that the arrested person’s car was directed to officer Kato by Sgt. Zoeller," said Deputy Prosecutor Peter Marrack. "However Zoller was on his day off. Sgt. Zoeller was not there. He was not signed in."
Sergeants Duke Zoeller and Aaron Bernal were also charged with tampering with government documents and theft. Zoeller went to two court hearings to testify in the case and collected more than $200 in overtime pay.
"Sgt. Zoeller apparently receives pay for going to court and based on that they charged Leighton Kato with theft," said Kato’s attorney Thomas Otake. He says his client had no idea Zoeller was not at the checkpoint. "When you’re back here you don’t necessarily know who’s up here you don’t necessarily know who’s sending you the vehicle."
He says Kato was informed in two follow-up reports that it was Zoeller who sent him the vehicle.
"Sgt. Brenal’s report says Sgt. Zoeller is the one who sent the vehicle to Leighton Kato and the other is from Sgt. Zoeller," said Otake. "He’s got no reason at all to believe that’s not true."
Otake says his client had recently returned from a two-year deployment to Kuwait and was not familiar with the current selective enforcement unit.
Officers Christopher and Patrick Bugarin, Michael Krekel and Brian Morris were charged with tampering with government records. Morris took the stand late in the day.
"Yes Sgt. Bernal was there."
When asked if he recalled if Zoeller was present.
"I cannot."
The city prosecutor’s office says more than 200 DUI cases were dismissed because of the case.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
