Prosecutors drop sex assault charges against ‘dorm mother’ accused of sexually assaulting teen

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Prosecutors have dropped all charges against a Manoa “dorm mother” who was accused of sexually assaulting one of her Japanese exchange students.

Rika Shimizu’s trial was supposed to start Monday on nine counts of sexual assault.

But in court documents, prosecutors said the victim in the case would not testify.

Earlier this month, a judge threw out key evidence against Shimizu after finding serious flaws with the police investigation. Police didn’t have a warrant to enter her Manoa home, the judge said, and failed to provide her with a Japanese interpreter or adequately inform her of her rights.

Prosecutors alleged Shimizu raped a 16-year-old boy multiple times while he was bedridden with a concussion. But her attorneys say there was never any sexual contact between Shimizu and the boy.

And they say they’re disappointed that Shimizu wasn’t fully vindicated.

“I think she’s really happy with the decision and she wants to move on with her life and her business and go back to Japan,” said Gary Singh, Shimizu’s attorney.

Attorney Victor Bakke added: “We always believed in her innocence. They (prosecutors) actually offered to make this a misdemeanor to make this case go away and Rika refused to do that because she wanted to testify."

Shimizu had spent 45 days in Oahu Community Correction Center, and if convicted she could have faced 20 years in prison. The judge dismissed the case without prejudice, which means prosecutors can refile charges.

For that reason, her attorneys recommended that she not speak to Hawaii News Now.

Prosecutors were unavailable and attorneys for the alleged victim didn’t return requests for comment.

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