Samoa’s notorious prison escapee, convicted rapist and drug dealer Lauitiiti Tualima, has defied Chief Justice Tiavasue Patu Falefatu Sapolu by refusing to enter a plea when he appeared last Monday on charges of escaping from Tafa’igata prison.
Samoa Observer reported that Tualima told the CJ that he would not enter a plea until something is done about their treatment in prison.
A court official told the newspaper the convict had appeared to slap the microphone away in protest which caused CJ Sapolu to order his removal from court.
Tualima said in court that six of them have been locked up in a high security cell since December.
“From then until now, we haven’t had a shower; we are being locked up naked with no food and drink. It smells really bad inside the room,” said Tualima.
Chief Justice Patu told the prisoner if what he said was true, then he should take it up with the Commissioner of Prisons because the Court does not interfere with how the Prison operates.
Patu explained that the court would record a plea of not guilty, even if he refused to enter a plea.
“Prison is under the Government’s control as well as the Commissioner of Prison, but it does not stop you from entering a plea to the charges against you,” Chief Justice Patu told Tualima.
The matter will be heard July 28, 2018 in the Supreme Court.
