Jalome Sukulu Balekaba

The caretaker for a now-deceased 88-year-old Millbrae man is accused of hitting him over the head with a walker, according to prosecutors who say he slipped into a coma and later died.

Investigators cannot conclusively prove the alleged strike led to the man's death 10 weeks later which is why Jalome Sukulu Balekaba, 50, is charged with felony counts of assault and physical elder abuse rather than homicide, said District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

"When you have a victim of this age, you have to determine if the blow is what killed him or if it was something else,” Wagstaffe said, adding that the investigation continues into the man's medical condition.

Balekaba worked as a caretaker for the man and, during a Dec. 19, 2011 phone call with his nephew, reportedly sounded intoxicated, Wagstaffe said.

The nephew contacted the Sheriff's Office's Millbrae Bureau for a welfare check and police reported finding Balekaba asleep in his room while the man was in a living room chair bleeding "profusely” from the head.

The man was hospitalized where he was treated for a stroke and became comatose. He died 10 weeks later.

Balekaba appeared in court Tuesday afternoon for his initial arraignment on the felonies and asked for a court-appointed attorney. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and did not waive his right to a speedy trial.

A court commissioner set bail at $200,000 and ordered Balekaba back to court Jan. 28 for a preliminary hearing with a three-hour estimate.

He remains in custody and has no prior criminal record in San Mateo County.

Michelle Durand can be reached by email: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.