Two prisoners serving life sentences in Samoa will serve the rest of their sentences at the police cells at the main police station in Apia.
In announcing the decision, Prisons and Corrections Minister Tialavea Tionisio Hunt, also warned the Samoa Prisons and Corrections Commissioner for “not telling the truth”.
Samoa Observer reports that Taitosaua Edward Winterstein is accused in a letter from the Minister of not giving a full account of the status of notorious drug lord Tagaloasa Filipaina.
Specifically that Tagaloasa’s presence at the Tafaigata facility poses a threat to prison security.
“I am extremely disappointed that you did not tell me the truth and you had embarrassed me in front of the Prime Minister,” wrote Minister Tialavea.
Tagaloasa and fellow inmate, Ovaleni Poli Viali, were removed from the prison for allegedly masterminding an aborted mass prison breakout as cyclone Gita approached the islands in February of this year, and incarcerated at the Central Police station in Apia.
Despite court challenges to have the pair moved back to jail, they remained at the Police cells until the minister announced they would soon be sent back to Tafaigata, apparently on advice of the Prison Commissioner.
Now all that has changed after the minister has been informed otherwise.
Tialavea told the Prison Commissioner that the pair will now serve out their sentences at the Police cells, even after the new maximum security prison at Tanumalala has been completed.
