An Australian couple who were brutally attacked on their honeymoon in Samoa have finally got justice after the man who was on the run from prison pleaded guilty to all charges, including rape.
But Angie Jackson, 28, and Tommy Williams have warned other Australians not to visit the South Pacific nation because of lax prison security which allowed their attacker to escape and attack them, the couple told Nine Network’s 60 Minutes program.
Serial felon Lautiiti Tualima had been on the run for a month when he climbed up to their room at Lupe Sina Tree Resort armed with a pair of scissors to bind the couple and rape Ms. Jackson.
Nine months on, Tualima has pleaded guilty to all seven charges against him, but the couple fears he could continue to hurt by escaping again.
At the time of the attack, Tualima was on the run from the prison on rape, robbery and violence convictions when he climbed into the couple from Hobart’s accommodation in a tree-house.
Tualima will be sentenced on July 22.
Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele told 60 Minutes the prison was being rebuilt and moved to a new location. He said this was an exceptional incident, not the norm.
Australia has given the country about $15 million over seven years through the Samoan Australian Police Program to assist policing functions.
Samoa tourism authorities are stepping up promotional activities in Australia which is in the top three sources of tourists for Samoa to assure visitors that Samoa was still a safe place for visitors,
