Defendant Jack Rengiil, who was charged with one count of contempt of court order and one count of trespass, entered a plea of not guilty to charges against him on June 30.
He was released from jail upon posting $200 cash bail, and his release will be on the condition that he will stay away from and not harass the alleged victim — his ex-wife, Henrietta Merei, and stay away from Merei’s residence.
On August 9, however, the court, after reviewing the parties’ stipulation, modified the condition “Stay away from Henriettta Merei’s residence” to “Shall not enter Henrietta Merei’s home but may be present on her land” to help facilitate a plea agreement on the case.
A plea hearing was initially set on August 5, but was reset to August 25.
According to Criminal Case No. 10-037’s affidavit of probable cause, on June 25 of this year at around 8:20 p.m., Officer Melvin Ubedei received a call and responded to a harassment incident at Kesebelau Church located in Airai.
The affidavit added that Ubedei was met by Merei who informed her that Rengill, her ex-husband, was continuously calling her on the church phone and bothering her. He was calling her at the church from Merei’s house.
Ubedei learned that there is a standing oourt order that was entered on November 26, 2008, evictin Rengiil from their marital home. But Rengiil, according to court records, has continuously violated the court order.
Merei stated that she has tried several times before to ask Rengiil to leave, but he refused, the affidavit stated.
Ubedei then asked Rengiil if he was aware of the Court Order evicting him from the home, “He informed me that he was aware of such Court order, but did not care about it,” Ubedei said, according to the court records.
Rengiil was arrested by Ubedei for Contempt of a Court order.
If Rengiil fails to abide by the conditions of his bail, he will be remanded back to the Koror Jail.
