Latest prisoner release 'frustrating,' Clarke says

Provincial Justice Minister Cecil Clarke says an investigation is underway to figure out why another prisoner was mistakenly released from custody in Nova Scotia.

Clarke spoke to reporters Tuesday, a day after his department admitted that a 19-year-old robbery suspect had been on the lam for six days.

Chancelor Faulkner was supposed to be sent back to the jail in Dartmouth after a court appearance last Tuesday. Instead, officials let him go because a form wasn't filled out correctly, the Justice Department said.

Faulkner is the latest prisoner to be released in error. Nine other people have either escaped or been accidentally set free from custody since December 2007.

"It is very frustrating for me as justice minister when we've put so much effort and resources into making sure these incidents don't recur. But human error is a part of that process, and it has been in this case," said Clarke.

Justice officials said the mistake with Faulkner was identified Monday after a routine review of prisoner movement through the corrections system.

Clarke said the process works because it catches errors that are then reported to justice officials, and that triggers an investigation.

Faulkner was found guilty of possessing a prohibited weapon last week. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 23 to face robbery and weapons charges.

Halifax Regional Police told CBC News that investigators have spoken to Faulkner in the last 24 hours.  But as of early Tuesday evening, he was still at large.