NZ 'mercenary' found dead
2005-04-05 14:50
Abidjan - Ivory Coast's rebel New Forces announced on Tuesday the death of a suspected New Zealand mercenary held in one of their stronghold towns, saying Brian Sands appeared to have died of natural causes.
"He died during the night," Amadou Kone, a top aide to FN leader Guillaume Soro told AFP by telephone from Bouake in the centre of the west African country, divided in two between the government and insurgents since September.
"The body was found in his cell" in Korhogo in the far north, Kone said. "I don't yet know the circumstances. But apparently, the death was of natural causes."
The New Forces announced on March 13 they had arrested Brian Hamish Thomas Sands, 36, allegedly on a mission from the Ivorian government to kill their top leaders and with documents and equipment implicating him in this mission.
It was not clear why he had been moved from Bouake to Korhogo.
The New Zealand government has raised questions about Sands's mental competence, suggesting he had made exaggerated claims about his military background.
Sands had allegedly claimed to the rebels he was a former New Zealand army captain as well as a French Foreign Legionary, but foreign minister Phil Goff said there was no record of him having served.