Police Commissioner On Gay Bashing Trail

Issue No: 929 10 July 2001

Police Commissioner Isikia Savua has embarked on a gay-bashing trail. Over the past week, Savua has condemned the alleged lifestyle of murder victims John Scott and Gregory Scrivner.

Savua told a press conference yesterday that the murder of the couple was done out of "intense hatred" of the couple for their exploitation of the accused. He stated: "Their liaison started when he was still in school. "He was a friend of the couple. And the possible motive is his intense hatred for the couple in their exploitation of young people".

Savua also stated that the accused "did not like the way they were treating these young children". He also claims that the investigation is now extending to other criminal activities like pornography, paedophilia and drug abuse.

Meanwhile, there is speculation that drugs found at Scott's home may have been planted by some elements of the police and terrorists who want to portray that the murder was not politically motivated. Savua himself went on record, before any arrest was made, saying that the murder was not politically motivated. Over the past year, the police department has confiscated many kilograms of hard drugs.

Savua's outbursts have been condemned by most people in Fiji, including a former Deputy Police Commissioner Mosese Tuisawau. Tuisawau states that Savua is acting like a judge rather than a police commissioner. Tuisawau also condemned Savua's gay bashing, saying that Savua was trying to undermine the credibility and the good deeds of Scott.

The culprit arrested, one Apete Kaisau, is believed to be mentally unstable.

Scott and Scrivner were murdered on Sunday 1 July. Scott had gained fame during the hostage crisis when he was the only outsider allowed to visit the hostages.

Scott had informed associates that he was scared of the police. He had compiled a 30-page report on what he had seen and heard during the days the terrorists had kept the elected government hostage. It is understood that a senior police officer, who was also implicated with assisting the terrorists, had asked Scott to take a `nothing seen, nothing heard' attitude. Scott had also informed people that he was threatened by those supporting the terrorists into not giving any evidence against them. (see: http://www.pcgov.org.fj/hot_press/no905.htm )

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