Yellowknife, NWT – An inmate from the North Slave Correctional Centre, on the lam for a week, has been re-captured but the public was never warned or told anything about it.
Justice Department officials now confirm the inmate, who hasn’t been identified, failed to return to the facility Apr. 25 after a temporary absence for work purposes.
He was finally taken into custody last Friday.
It’s not clear if he faces further charges.
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins is furious.
“It’s completely unacceptable that the public wasn’t informed that an inmate was at large for seven days. We hadn’t been informed to what type of risk the Department of Justice has chosen not to share with the public. We don’t know if this inmate has a history of violence whether it’s against women or children. We don’t know if they’re a sexual predator, we don’t know anything.”
Hawkins says there needs to be better cooperation so the public isn’t left in the dark.
“Do the RCMP need to help out more? Absolutely but I’d also say in partnership with the Department of Justice. I’m not going to point my finger at either but I will say they have to do more. The Department of Justice and the RCMP need to work tighter together.”
Justice Department officials say once an offender is declared unlawfully at large, it becomes a policing matter.
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