Sands also had family in Sweden

Hamish Sands, the mercenary who this week died in an Ivory Coast jail, has left behind not only his New Zealand family but an ex-partner and up to two children who live in Sweden.

The 36-year-old former Hawkes Bay man, imprisoned by New Force rebels on suspicion of being a hired assassin, was found dead in his cell on Monday.

Following claims his apparently "natural death" could have been suicide or foul play, the rebels have allowed a forensic expert to examine his body.

His family in New Zealand and people who met him while travelling overseas are adamant he would not take his own life.

Robert Walker, 41, of Carterton, spent six years with Mr Sands in Australia during the 1990s and this week described him as a "happy-go-lucky guy".

He said he was told about the death by Mr Sands' ex-partner Lisa, the mother of 16-year-old Leah.

He said Mr Sands was "a very brainy, intelligent guy" who carried a briefcase and checked stock market listings. Committing suicide sounded out of character.

Australian Michael Archer said he met Mr Sands in October 2002 while travelling to Port Sudan for a diving trip with his son.

"Hamish gave us the best time you could imagine ... It is with real sadness that I read of his death, especially when things were starting to look a bit like they may have been resolved soon."

Amnesty International executive director Ced Simpson has called for a thorough investigation into the death.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said a United Nations team sent to Bouake had positively identified the body and arranged for a visual examination by a surgeon from a French hospital run by Medecins sans Frontieres.

"We are currently working through a number of different channels to encourage the New Forces group to release the body, and that has been promised," he said.

A senior rebel leader told the Herald the rebels would not stop the body from returning to New Zealand if the United Nations agreed, he said.

New Force chief of staff Cisse Sindou said last night he was also waiting for the results of the autopsy on Mr Sands.

"He seemed healthy and well-fed. We really want to know ourselves how he died," he said.

He said the body had been released to the UN team, photographed and examined.

He offered his condolences to the Sands family and to New Zealand, repeating his commitment of co-operation with the UN.

He expected the body to be transported to Abidjan today.