Freed prisoner still at large

Press, 12 January 1987, Page 1

Freed prisoner still at large

PA Auckland The Auckland police have had no reported sightings of a Mongrel Mob gang member who was mistakenly freed from Mt Eden prison. Michael Neville Te Whaiti, aged 23, was bailed on Friday afternoon after taking the name of another prisoner at a roll call. He was on remand in the prison on a charge of raping a woman at the gang’s national convention in Mangere last month. Eleven other Mob members have been charged with the same offence. The police search for Te Whaiti is based at Otahuhu, where detectives are still investigating the Mangere rape. A police spokesman said it was probable that Te Whaiti had “gone to ground” and could prove difficult to trace for some time.

Te Whaiti, of Featherston, had been arrested at Masterton last month. Officials at Mt Eden 'Prison are conducting an internal inquiry on how the identities of Te Whaiti and another inmate were confused. A report on the mistake will be sent to the

Justice Department’s head office in Wellington. A Mt Eden prison inmate appeared in the District Court at Auckland yesterday charged with helping Te Whaiti to escape. He was reinanded in custody to January 27 without plea. __