The Criminal Investigations Division of the Department of Public Safety is now investigating the case of an inmate who is believed to have been missing from the Territorial Correctional facility for some time.
Chief of Police Pou Supapo confirmed that DPS is looking into the involvement of “an insider,” in allowing the inmate to leave and remain on the outside for an extended period.
It’s believed that the inmate was with his family for the good part of two weeks.
This was earlier in the month. In the latest incident, he was out for four days. On Tuesday, DPS called the TCF to verify if the inmate was in his cell. That same day, police stopped a vehicle driven by the inmate’s wife, on the road behind the Juvenile Detention Center.
They found the missing inmate hiding on a lowered seat inside the vehicle.
Police Chief Supapo says there are appearances that an insider is involved in letting out the inmate and alerting him to return on Tuesday, after DPS called to verify if he was in the TCF.
She said there has been no contact with the Department of Corrections on the case.
KHJ News calls toDirector Tauanuu Faisiota have not been answered. TCF Warden Papalii Marion Fitisemanu is on leave.
