4 Dec 2015

Another prisoner escapes Samoa jail, as others recaptured

2:06 pm on 4 December 2015

Another prisoner has escaped from Tafaigata prison in Samoa, fleeing the same day two other prisoners were recaptured after being on the run for almost a week.

Entrance to Tafa'igata Prison in Samoa.

Entrance to Tafa'igata Prison in Samoa. Photo: Tafa'igata / youtube

Our correspondent Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia says the two escapees were found sleeping in an abandoned house at Afiamalu, outside of the capital Apia, after a resident informed the police.

One of the men, Lauititi Tualima, is facing criminal charges related to the alleged rape of an Australian woman a month ago.

Tualima, who had escaped from Tafaigata in April and was caught only a few weeks ago, is also suspected of assaulting a female worker at the Faleolo International airport tower.

Autagavaia says when the two prisoners were recaptured yesterday, another prisoner broke out from Tafaigata prison.

He says this escapee is still on the run, with the prison authority and the police asking the public for help to recapture the man.

"Just imagine if you look at prisoners running away from jail, and then when they are captured and the other lot leaving and running away from prison. It shows that the authority there are not in a very solid way of managing and looking after the inmates at the jail."

Autagavaia says authorities are yet to comment on how the prisoners were able to escape.