Post mortem for Australian woman today, Police say
Relatives of the late Jennifer Ann Downes were due to arrive in the country last night.
Apost-mortem will be conducted today to ascertain the cause of death of a woman who was allegedly murdered in Suva on Tuesday.
Jennifer Ann Downes was found dead in her house at Service Street in Domain, Suva at about 2pm by Police officers who were called to the scene.
Police officers familiar with the investigations said there were no visible injuries on her body. Her husband, Henri Lukaka John, was recovering at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva last night.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said the victim’s husband, who is the suspect in the alleged murder, was in a stable condition.
Ms Naisoro said Police were yet to interview the suspect.
“The post mortem of the victim will be held tomorrow (today) as her family is arriving in the country tonight (yesterday),” she said. Asked on the whereabouts of the couple’s three children, Ms Naisoro said the Australian High Commission would be in a better position to comment on the matter.
Mr John is originally from Congo but he is an Australian citizen while the deceased was an Australian national.
They are believed to have got married in 2012.
The deceased worked for the United Nations World Food Programme while Police sources said that Mr John also works for an international organisation.
A statement from UN in the Pacific confirmed Ms Downes employment status, saying that she worked as a logistics officer for the organisation since 2017.
Ms Downes started her career as a logistician more than 10 years ago, first in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then Australia and Vanuatu. “Since joining WFP, Jenna and her team had worked tirelessly to bring logistics tools and knowledge to the communities in the Pacific islands, helping them prepare for and respond to natural disasters,” the statement said.
“For Jenna, logistics was more than just a job. It was a passion that she pursued with unmatched dedication and professionalism. She will be forever missed by our WFP family.
“Our thoughts are with Jenna’s children and loved ones during this difficult time.”
UN Pacific has offered its full co-operation to the authorities as investigations continue.
The couple’s neighbours did not say much when approached yesterday, however two of them revealed that they saw Police officers at the house last week.
UN Pacific has offered its full co-operation to the authorities as investigations continue.