New corrections agency not talking when it comes to recent escape at TCF

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — To date the American Samoa Corrections Agency (ASCA), management remains tightlipped over the lack of a public notice that a prisoner escaped from the Territorial Correctional Facility last week for several days.

Inmate Joeita Faaliga was taken back into custody by the police on Friday.

Samoa News left messages for the Acting Director of the new American Samoa Corrections Agency, Leone Faiai for comment but have been unsuccessful in receiving a response.

The Department of Public Safety Commissioner, Lefiti Falelaulii Pese apologized on behalf of the police and the ASCA for the “lapse” in informing the public that a prisoner had escaped.

“The concerns raised by the public are valid and therefore I apologize for the lack of a public notice by the police, so the public can be aware there is a prisoner on the loose.”

Lefiti told Samoa News over the phone, that recently the American Samoa Corrections Agency has been separated from the DPS.

“As you know anything relatively new, there are teething problems but we will do better, after all the public has the right to know so they can be alert,” said the Police Commissioner.

Adding that while the ASCA is separate from the police, their duties are interconnected.

“When a prisoner escapes, the TCF should report [it] to the police, and breaking out of the prison is a violation of the law.”

However in this case, the police were only informed of the prisoner escaping a day after he escaped, said the Commissioner.

A photo of the prisoner, Faaliga circulated on Facebook and he allegedly had broken into family homes in Tafuna. 

Even when the prisoner was captured on Friday, there was no public notice issued regarding the matter. 

In the meantime, the Police Commissioner confirmed the police are investigating the escape incident and they will file the necessary charges once the investigation is complete.

Also the investigation will determine how the prisoner was able to leave the TCF compound.

In 2016, Faaaliga escaped from the TCF with another inmate. During that escape six years ago, Faaliga stole a purse belonging to a woman inside a vehicle that was parked at the ASPA office in Tafuna, while her husband was inside paying their utility bill.

He also allegedly committed a robbery in the Tafuna area before heading back to the TCF. His excuse for escaping, at the time, was that he was hungry that’s why he escaped.