Policemen fired over Kiwi's Samoa jail death

Two policemen have been fired and another could lose his job over the death of a New Zealand man in a Samoan prison cell last year.

Hans Dalton was found dead upside down in a 166 litre drum of water in Tafa'igata Prison outside of Apia on Boxing Day last year.

While initially ruled as a suicide, 21-year-old prisoner Jonathan Patrick Crichton was charged with his murder late last month.

A police investigation found that the officers were "negligent" in carrying out their duties while Mr Dalton was in prison, the Samoa Observer reported.

"They were dismissed last Wednesday," Assistant Police Commissioner Le'aupepe Fatu Pula was quoted as saying.

"One other policeman has pleaded not guilty so he is waiting for a day to appear in front of the tribunal."

The officers have not been named.

Crichton is serving a life sentence for killing a taxi driver at gunpoint last year.

He is yet to enter a plea over Mr Dalton's death and is due in court again next week.

Mr Dalton was in Samoa visiting relatives when a mental health episode led family members to seek support from the authorities.

He was in jail at the time of his death because he had reportedly become violent and police needed to restrain him.

 

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