23 Aug 2017

Attacker flees Cook Islands

7:54 am on 23 August 2017

Questions are being asked in the Cook Islands how a suspect in a stabbing incident was allowed to leave the country.

The 20-year old man in question flew out of Rarotonga despite a police probe into the attack in which he stabbed a 17-year old boy in the thigh and smashed a bottle on his head.

Police have declined to say why airport security and Immigration weren't advised that the man was to not permitted to leave the country.

The victim's parents suspect there has been a cover-up of the entire case.

They have turned to the Ombudsman office for assistance and asked that the entire issue be investigated independently.