Mystery surrounds a dangerous prisoner’s escape from a High Security Facility

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 19 March 2025 – After two months on the run, dangerous prisoner Lauititi Tualima was captured Monday evening at Aele village after escaping from a high secured facility at the Tanumalala prison.

Police said people close to Lauititi have been harbouring him and will be prosecuted under the Police Crimes Act.

Lauititi has a history with the law and is currently serving sentences over multiple offences and will be released in 2042.

He had easily escaped from the old Tafa’igata prison and at one time, went on a spree that included breaking into a store at Vaitele and attacked its owner and later broke into a hotel at Tiavi and raped an Australian tourist after tying up her partner.

The incident had a negative impact on the country’s security and the tourism industry after the incident featured on the Australian current affairs program 60 minutes.

This time, Police offered a $5,000 tala monetary reward for information leading to Lauititi’s capture but police are guarded about who to pay the money to as it is a sensitive matter for safety reasons.

Escaping from a high security facility
Police are asking how he managed to escape from the Tanumalala prison where he was supposed to be locked up in a high secured facility.

Police said they suspect Lauititi took advantage during the rehabilitation program which is conducted within the secured facility with prisoners moving from room to room.

Talamua however has learnt that Lauititi was not locked up at the high level facility and was placed at the police office where he worked as an errand boy making coffee for police officers and doing other domestic work.

On the day Lauititi escaped, he was assisting other prisoners unloading goods from a light truck and he was only found to be missing in the evening.

Police sources also said that there was a reason why the former Police Commissioner placed Lauititi in the most secure prison cell; allowing only a few hours for him to come outside.

Meanwhile, another prisoner Pati Chong Nee remains at large since he escaped in 2019.