Reward offered for capture of Tongan-Kiwi prison escapee

News
Crime

Author: Vaimoana Mase,
Publish Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2026, 4:05pm

Commissioner of Police in Tonga, Geoff Turner, gives an update on the escaped prisoners this afternoon. Image / Tonga Police

Police in Tonga have announced a monetary reward for information leading to the capture of two men who escaped police custody - one of them a New Zealander.

It has also been revealed that a security issue in cells at the main police station in Tonga - where the men fled from - had been due to be fixed early next month.

A TOP$5000 (NZ$3500) reward is on offer to anyone who has information leading to the arrest and capture of New Zealand-Tongan man Liuaki Fungalei Kokohu Vi.

Cells were due to be fixed

Tongan Police Commissioner Geoff Turner said they had earlier identified a potential security risk in the cells at the Central Police Station, in Nuku’alofa, and that a company was due to fix the issue on August 3.

“Unfortunately, this happened before we could...upgrade the cells,” he said at a media conference this afternoon.

Commissioner of Police in Tonga, Geoff Turner, gives an update on the escaped prisoners this afternoon. Image / Tonga Police

Vi, 34, is one of two men who remain on the run after escaping the police station just after 7.30pm local time on Sunday.

The second person wanted by authorities is Adam Zabid Hussein - a Fijian national. A third prisoner, a 15-year-old boy, also escaped but was found by police in the early hours of yesterday.

“Today, I’m here asking the public for assistance in locating Liuaki Vi and Adam Hussein,” Turner said.

$10k reward for capture of both prisoners

“I am also announcing a reward of up to $5000 TOP for information that leads to the arrest and capture of these two individuals.

“For clarity, the reward money is up for $5000 pa’anga for each individual, but the information must result in their recapture.”

An updated public alert issued by police in Tonga. Two prisoners, including NZ citizen Liuaki Vi, remain on the run. Photo / Tonga Police

Police issued a public alert on Monday, after the trio took off hours earlier.

A Facebook post shared by authorities gave details about each of the wanted men with the words: “Do not approach. Consider dangerous.”

Police said Vi, who also goes by the alia Michael Tama, is considered the “highest-risk escapee” due to his criminal history and serious offences associated with him.

Turner revealed that they were working with police overseas in relation to Vi, in particular.

“Vi is wanted for passport fraud, as is Hussein,” he said.

“This individual has links to overseas [that] we’ve got concerns about and we’re working with overseas authorities in relation to that. But I can’t go into further detail.”

Turner reiterated that the men should not be approached and that anyone harbouring them will be charged and could face up to 10 years behind bars.

Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald’s Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.