A WOMAN stabbed herself in the chest after her brothers found her husband's partly decomposed body locked in their home in Sigatoka.
The discovery of the body of the 63-year-old German man on MOndayhas shocked residents of the small coastline community.
Residents of Sunset Strip watched in disbelief as police descended on the area yesterday.
They thought the deceased, a permanent resident who lived in Fiji for the past 15 years, was away overseas.
The deceased's time of death is unclear at this stage.
Police spokesman Corporal Suliano Tevita said the man, whose identity has been withheld by police, was married to the local woman and resided at Korotogo.
"He was not seen since early last month and his wife said he had gone to Germany to visit his family," Cpl Tevita said.
"On Sunday the woman's brothers went to visit the family and experienced a foul smell coming from their main house which was locked," he said.
Cpl Tevita said the 31-year-old woman resisted when her brothers asked her to open the house so that they could identify the source of the stench.
After several requests, they managed to open the house and found the partly decomposed body of the deceased lying on the floor, he said.
Cpl Tevita said the woman then ran inside the house and stabbed herself several times in the chest.
"She was conveyed to the Sigatoka Hospital and later transferred to Lautoka Hospital where she is admitted under police guard."
Hotel operator Mostafa Khattab said the death was shocking.
"He's a good man; he used to come over to my bar and have a beer," he said.
"Everyone here is sad to hear of his death," he said.
"We heard that he died in Germany, we did not know that he was locked up in his house."
Another neighbour said his wife told them he died in Germany and his family wanted her to go over to attend his funeral.
"In fact, her relatives who came to her house were there because she told them that her husband had died in Germany and they were gathering in preparation for her to travel to attend his funeral."
Divisional Crime Officer Vijay Singh said a post mortem examination was expected soon while police investigations continue.
