A notorious prisoner, serving a life sentence for murder and drugs offenses at Samoa’s Tafa’igata Prison, was released by prison authorities so he could attend his matai title bestowal ceremony during the recent festive season.
Tagaloasa Filipaina, alleged leader of what’s considered one of the biggest drug operation in Samoa was released by the authorities, despite being refused parole five times by the parole board.
In a report by Samoa Observer, the Minister for Prison Services, Tialavea Tionisio Hunt said the prisoner was not considered a risk to the public when he was released.
He is reported to have said that Tagaloasa was a low risk prisoner who the authorities believed had a very low chance of re-offending.
Tagaloasa has been incarcerated in a special section of the prison, reserved for those considered high risk of flight and posing danger to other prisoners.
Prisoners in this section are not allowed to mix with other prisoners during work release within the prison compound.
But later in the interview with the newspaper, the Minister admitted that he knew nothing about the prisoners release.
He then referred the reporter to the assistant commissioner of Samoa Prison Services, Unasa Niuia Aumua.
Tagaloasa was released on parole in the early 2000s after serving more than 10 years of a murder conviction but was soon returned to jail after he was found guilty of drug offenses.
He has since been refused parole on five occasions.
Prisoners are sometimes given special release for family reasons, usually bereavement and compassionate reasons, especially for funerals of immediate family members like a spouse, a child or a parent.
No one has ever been released before to attend the bestowal of a matai title, considered to be a social event in Samoa.
