The Samoa Police has put a hold on autopsies said Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo. He said this was following advice from the Ministry of Health.

More than 10 bodies had been shifted to another morgue while some have not been released for over two months frustrating relatives.

He said the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital morgue was under renovation until the second week of April and until then no autopsy could be carried out.

He said the police are dealing with complaints from family members whose loved ones' bodies are at the TTM Hospital mortuary and haven't been released.

He said many of these bodies are due for autopsies and the police were in the process of bringing a pathologist over as soon as the green light was given by the Ministry of Health.

"Post mortems can only be done at the hospital morgue and that's why there's a delay because the hospital mortuary is on renovations," Auapaau said.

"All corpses are now at the Fesili morgue for the time being to await renovations that are to be completed next month.”

There are about 10 corpses placed at Fesili morgue awaiting not only the hospital mortuary renovations but also a pathologist to do autopsies.

Auapaau stated that a pathologist was coming this week but only to testify in a pending court matter.

Auapaau extended his apologies to the families of the dead who have been in the mortuary for over two months and explained that the whole process of investigations for police and also order from the coroner is that these corpses have to go through autopsies before their release for burial.

Auapaau confirmed that the TTM morgue renovations were uncertain if it would meet the deadline for the second week of April.

Moreover, another dead body was found at Nuu-Fou last week when police were contacted by neighbours about a disturbing smell coming from the man's house.

Auapaau said the police have found the body of this man in his 30s hanging in the house and investigations are continuing.

He said the deceased lived alone and the reasons behind his death were unknown at the time.