Kiwi focus of Fiji murder hunt

A New Zealander is believed to be involved in a police investigation into the murders of two men in Fiji, one of whom was the head of the local Red Cross.

John Scott, aged 53, who played a crucial mediation role in Fiji's coup drama last year, was brutally murdered with his partner, New Zealander Gregory Scrivener, 39, in a bedroom of the Scott house in Suva.

Police Commissioner Isikia Savua confirmed the murdered men had injuries to their necks and faces.

Another man, believed to be a New Zealander, was helping police with their inquiries last night, but the commissioner said no arrests had been made.

He ruled out a murder-suicide, saying there were bloody footprints outside the house and a cane knife, believed to be the murder weapon, had been found. "It is too easy to speculate on the motive," he said, while rejecting any political angle.

But it is believed that Mr Scott had received warnings to get out of Fiji.

The director of the criminal investigations unit, Ravi Naraya, said nothing appeared to have been taken, so robbery did not appear to have been the motive.

Mr Scott was born in Fiji of British descent. He has a son in New Zealand.

He played a crucial role when plotters led by George Speight seized Parliament in Suva on May 19 last year and took Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and his Government hostage for 56 days.

For the first week or so, Mr Scott was the only outsider allowed to see the hostages and he set up a system to deliver mail and food parcels. He oversaw the release of Mr Chaudhry and most of the hostages on July 13.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said he was shocked and deeply saddened by the murders.

Mr Scott's participation during the coup had been the hostages' "lifeline," said Mr Goff.

"It is probably fair to say that without John Scott's effort, life for the hostages would have been grim indeed and the psychological toll they suffered as a result of their captivity would have been a great deal worse."

Mr Goff described Mr Scott's death as a body blow to the Red Cross in Fiji.

Mr Scott was educated at Wanganui Collegiate. He joined the Red Cross in Fiji in 1994.

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