26 Feb 2008

Publisher and chief executive officer of Fiji's Sun News Ltd taken from his home

7:12 am on 26 February 2008

The publisher and chief executive officer of one of Fiji's major newspaper company, Sun News Ltd, Russell Hunter, is feared missing.

While police have yet to confirm receiving a report, the newspaper's editor Leone Cabenatabua told Fijilive that seven men, who said they were immigration officials, took Mr Hunter from his home in Suva last night.

Mr Hunter, his wife Martha and their visiting daughter were at home when the incident happened.

He is an Australian expatriate who had just got his contract with the newspaper company for another three years beginning last year.

Mr Cabenatabua says the officers had first asked for Mr Hunter's passport and work permit.

He says they are concerned about his safety more than anything else right now.

He says they suspected Mr Hunter was taken because of the articles the newspaper published on the tax evasion story against an interim minister.

Leone Cabenatabua says they have called everywhere and even the police commissioner and who was not aware of anything.