27 Apr 2012

Man in Samoa seeks victim support help for son's cause of death

12:24 pm on 27 April 2012

The police force in Samoa is under scrutiny after a 21-year-old mentally ill man died in custody at Tafaigata prison last year.

The death had been reported as a suicide but the victim's father has sought the help of the Samoa Victim Support Group to find the real cause of death after a prison officer told him that his son had died after an assault by two inmates.

The victim's group's president, Lina Chang, says the man is traumatised and wants answers from the police.

The family has never been notified by the police of the cause of death.