LIHUE — Kauai police arrested the man suspected of robbing a Kapaa liquor store and assaulting the store’s owner Monday afternoon. The incident occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. at the Kapaa Liquor and Wine Co., located on Kuhio Highway. Kawika
LIHUE — Kauai police arrested the man suspected of robbing a Kapaa liquor store and assaulting the store’s owner Monday afternoon.
The incident occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. at the Kapaa Liquor and Wine Co., located on Kuhio Highway.
Kawika Manaku, 29, of Anahola, was arrested Tuesday for first degree robbery, drug paraphernalia and promotion of a dangerous drug in the third degree.
The Kauai Police Department said Manaku walked into the store and approached the 70-year-old male store owner with a metal rod in his hand. He then pushed the victim to the ground and began physically assaulting him before taking an undisclosed amount of cash from the register.
As Manaku was gathering his belongings, he noticed the store owner stand up from behind the register and pushed him back down to the ground before fleeing the store, according to officials.
The victim suffered multiple lacerations to his face and head and was treated and released by medics at the scene.
Reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, the owner declined to comment.
Police say they obtained surveillance footage that helped them identify Manaku as the suspect.
He was located and arrested at approximately 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in an area known as Marine Camp, near the Wailua Golf Course.
Manaku remains in police custody in lieu of $100,000 bail and is expected to be charged and arraigned in district court later this week.
In April 2013, Manaku pleaded no contest to stealing from hotel guests and was sentenced to one year in jail and a five-year felony probation. In that incident, Manaku entered two Westin-Princevill hotel rooms using his employee master key and stole more than $100 in currency from each room with an accomplice, according to court records.
