Airline worker found dead
Posted by airlinenews on May 7, 2006
THE body of a man was found at Waimalika, Sabeto, in Nadi, yesterday morning.
West crime officer Vijay Singh said the body was found with facial and stomach injuries.
Acting Assistant Superintendent Singh said police believed the man had been murdered.
"The identity of the deceased is known.
"He is Solomoni Saukuru, a cabin crew member with Air Pacific and who lives in Vatutu Village, Nadi.
"He was last seen in Nadi Town at 10pm coming out from a nightclub," he said.
ASP Singh said police were seeking information from people concerning the deceased's movements after he left the nightclub on Friday He said 30 police officers from Lautoka, Nadi and Namaka and a forensic team from Suva were working on the case.
The deceased's younger brother Jerry Batirua, 28, said his brother had flown into the country on Monday morning from Los Angeles and was supposed to fly out again today for Sydney.
"We spoke on the phone yesterday (Friday) and he was telling me to come and see him.
"But I didn't because I was working.
"The last I heard about him was when a cousin of mine who works at a nightclub in Nadi said he saw him (the deceased) leaving around 10pm.
"Until the police came home this morning that was the last I had heard," he said. Mr Batirua said since the deceased had arrived on Monday they had not met and kept missing each other at home.
He said when the deceased went missing from home for two days or more, they did not really care because he would be with friends.
"I still can't believe it.
"We were very close.
"I'm going to miss him very much.
"I did everything for him," he said.
He said the deceased was the second eldest of seven siblings and was the first to die among the four brothers and three sisters.
He said the late Mr Saukuru was single and in the middle of building his home when he died.
