Police in Tonga have put up a TP$5000 (approx. NZ$3400) bounty for information that leads to the capture of two recent jail escapees: one New Zealander and one Fijian.
They have also launched a parallel investigation into how the escape, which involved a third individual, occurred.
Tonga police issue bounty for information on two fugitives
Pacific Waves
On Wednesday, Tonga Police held a news conference regarding the remandees – Liuaki Kokohu VI, a 35-year-old New Zealand citizen of Tongan descent, Adam Hussein, a 35-year-old Fijian national, and a 16-year-old male – who escaped from custody at the Central Police Station in Nuku’alofa on Sunday.
Kokohu VI is considered a high-risk escapee due to his criminal history and serious offences associated with him, police said.
Police Commissioner Geoff Turner said they captured the 16-year-old male in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Mataika, but the two others remain at large.
“For clarity, the reward money is up to 5000 Pa’anga for each individual, but the information must result in their recapture,” Turner said.
He also announced an internal investigation into whether corruption, opportunity, or other factors led to the escape.
“To be able to walk out of a [police] station and pretty much disappear, there is got to be outside help,” he said.
“I would be telling you a mistruth if that is not the case. But we are working on those lines of inquiry.”
Turner said police identified a potential risk in relation to the security of the Central Police Station’s cells.
“We had already arranged a meeting with a company to actually alleviate this, which is due on the 3rd of August. And unfortunately, this happened before we could put that process in place to upgrade the cells and the security down there.”
He reassured the work to improve the cells would continue as scheduled with no supplementary budget needed.
“Our budget has been allocated by the government this year. We had funding allocated to us. We are not seeking additional funding, there is funding within our envelope to fix this particular issue,” he said.
“We are working with a South African-based company with a lot of experience in this space, and we will work through this in the next couple of weeks on what this looks like.”
Turner said any information about the remaining escapees can be relayed to 922 or mobile phone number 7401656.
The mobile number is available 24 hours a day.
The public is urged not to approach the escapees and to contact police immediately.
