Fridae

Relatives of Fiji murder victims John Scott and Greg Scrivener have expressed their outrage that Fijian police have suggested that the murdered couple were involved in drugs and sexual abuse of a minor, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

John Scott who was Fiji Red Cross chief, and his New Zealand-born partner of 22-years, Gregory Scrivener, 39 were hacked to death at their Suva home on July 1.

A 23-year-old man who had admitted to the brutal slayings was charged with both murders on Monday. Apete Bauleka Vakananumi Kaisau said he had been "exploited" by the couple and had been involved in a sexual relationship with them since he was at school. The case has been adjourned until July 20 pending a psychiatric evaluation of the accused.

The police revealed that they also found child pornography and a "white substance," thought to be cocaine, at the couple's home.

Scrivener's brother-in-law Tony Alvos told the Australian paper that the family was deeply angered and disgusted with the police allegations. "They were together as a couple. I can't imagine that (the police claims) being true. We just dispute that entirely," he said.

A New Zealand pathology report commissioned by the Scrivner family revealed that Gregory Scrivner was tortured before he and his partner John Scott were murdered, reports fijilive.com. Alvos also said that based on the report, it is evident that it took more than one man to torture and murder the two.

Alvos said the family no longer trusted Fijian authorities to handle the investigation properly and absolutely denied the two men had anything to do with the drugs allegedly found at the scene, much less child pornography.

Alvos also believes that there was a political motive attached to the slayings as the killings happened just before the treason trial of coup plotter George Speight was to commence. Scott had been called to give evidence owing to his personal intervention to diffuse the crisis.

According to Alvos, the couple's family members are furious that Scott's and Scrivener's good names had been tarnished by the claims and that the unfounded allegations made their grief more difficult.

"We're really distressed over these claims. Greg wasn't a pedophile, and nor was he a drug addict," he said.

He added that homophobia was not uncommon in Fiji and renowned among members of its police force.