By Alexandra Cline
SAN FRANCISCO- On Feb. 28, 2020, the final sentences for three co-defendants originally charged with murder and multiple counts of robbery were determined by Judge Brendan Conroy. Both the defendants’ families and the victim’s family were present in the packed courtroom.
In April 2015, Faavesi Koka, Robert N. Pelesauma, and Hunter F Sagaiga were allegedly involved in five different armed robberies and credit card fraud. Once police identified the getaway car, they engaged in a pursuit, which resulted in the death of Bridget Klecker, who was hit by a stolen vehicle.
Koka was linked to the crimes through a phone found in the abandoned vehicle that contained a picture of him, but he could not be identified in a red light image taken of the vehicle.
Faavesi Koka was represented by Deputy Public Defender Manohar Raju, and the Assistant District Attorney was Ryan King.
During the hearing, the victim’s sister, Angela Klecker, and Tony Betinas, made a Victim Impact Statement with a framed picture of both Klecker sisters. Robert N. Pelesauma, the driver of the vehicle, did not respond to the statement in court.
Pelesauma pleaded guilty to manslaughter and robbery and was sentenced to state prison. Hunter F. Sagaiga’s sentence was satisfied with his time in custody, and he was released on parole today.
Judge Conroy confirmed Koka’s deferred sentence and his plea to a misdemeanor charge. After being in custody for five years, he was released today on his own recognizance and will be a part of a one-year youth reentry program before the charge will be off his record. On May 22, a progress report for Koka will occur in Department 25 at the Superior Court in San Francisco.
