The two escaped prisoners, Lauitiiti Tualima and Aniseko Vaelei, have been captured by police, four days after they escaped from Tanumalala Prison on Thursday night 29 May 2025.
A pursuit by police in the Ululoloa-Siusega area ended with the capture of Lauititi, while Aniseko had been caught less than an hour earlier at Vaiusu.
The search operation was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police and Head of Prisons, afioga Leiataualesa Samuelu Afamasaga.
Lauititi Tualima was captured after an intense police chase through a neighbourhood block in Ululoloa between 5pm – 6pm on Monday 2nd June 2025.
Running from a team of police and prison officers as well as some men from the neighbourhood, Lauititi jumped over fences from one backyard to another.
The convicted rapist was finally caught hiding under large rocks in a family’s garden.
Inside the family home was a mother with her young children as well as her nieces and nephews. The distraught mother said the children were traumatised seeing the prisoner being chased through their yard, and caught by Police inside their family compound.
After being chased for more than two blocks, Lauititi jumped over the family’s fence and tried to run down an access road to get away.
But he turned back when he saw Leiataualesa and his team, who had blocked off that road.
The convicted rapist and notorious burglar ran back into the family’s compound and hid under large rocks in their garden.
The chase after Lauititi had started from a home behind Farmer Joe in Siusega-Ululoloa, after residents had reported a sighting of Lauititi to police.
The police pursuit covered two blocks through the residential area, until the escaped prisoner was caught in one of the neighbourhood’s fenced properties.
More than 20 prison officers in plain clothes were involved in the chase. Two young men from the neighborhood also joined in the chase and other community members wanted to get their hands on the escaped prisoner.
Aniseko Vaelei was already inside a police vehicle, having been captured by police at Vaiusu, just before they received the call that Lauititi was sighted in Ululoloa.
The Ululoloa Neighborhood Watch group were able to send a drone up to keep the families nearby informed during the police chase.
The Ululoloa Neighborhood Watch group acknowledged Deputy Commissioner Leiataualesa Samuelu Afamasaga and his team as well as the Faleata Police Depot for their swift response.
“We are all shocked and still shaken that Lauititi was caught in our neighborhood, but do feel much safer tonight knowing the pair are back behind bars.”
“Faafetai tele i alii Malu o le Malo mo la outou auaunaga tāua.”
