Red Cross Boss Hacked To Death

Issue No: 901 2 July 2001

The Director of Red Cross in Fiji, John Scott was hacked to death yesterday morning.

Scott's body was found by his household staff with marks to brutal knife wounds. Another body, identified as that of Gregory Scrivner, was also found in the same room at Scott's home.

Scott came to prominence during the hostage crisis last year. He was allowed to visit the hostages by the terrorists. The hostages were also released to the Red Cross after the Chiefs directed the terrorists to release the hostages if their proposal for participation in a government were to be considered.

The Friday before he was murdered, Scott had organised, jointly with the military, a grand fundraising ball in Suva.

The motive for the murders is not known. Police have ruled out robbery as a large amount of money in the house was not stolen. The murder took place at around 6am.

Some journalists suspect that the murders are related to the 19 May terrorism and the treason charges. Scott was a daily visitor to the Parliamentary Complex and had seen and heard a lot on the Complex. It is known that police investigators tried to get information out of Scott in the terrorists' treason charge. It is also known that Scott knew of the involvement of some senior military officers with the terrorists. Lately the authorities had blamed the Red Cross for passing information to and fro the terrorists who are held in detention on Nukulau Island.

Other journalists believe that the murders are related to domestic, relationship matters. Some believe that the two murdered were lovers.

Police have been interviewing suspects.

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