Family's grief at Zanzibar murder

The Griplas family moved to Zanzibar in 1997

The family of a British businessman shot dead in front of his wife and children in Zanzibar have spoken of their grief.

Antony Griplas, 42, died in hospital on Sunday after being shot twice in the abdomen by robbers.

His mother-in-law said Mr Griplas' wife Eleanor was "devastated" by his death.

The couple and their two children had lived on the island, 50 miles off Tanzania, since 1997.

The robbers, apparently a gang of at least 10, used a boat to approach their waterfront home and disabled security lights and telephone lines before entering the house.

Eleanor is devastated but is having to keep strong for the children's sake - she can't go to pieces Margaret Hewett, victim's mother-in-law

Local reports said 41-year-old Mrs Griplas tried in vain to stop the men killing her husband by offering them all the money in the house.

Her mother Margaret Hewett, from Rye in East Sussex, said Mrs Griplas and the children, Lydia, six, and four-year-old Alexander, were being comforted by close friends from the local British expatriate community.

Mrs Hewett, 78, said: "She has tried to take the children away from the home for a while so there is not so much stress on them as they are obviously traumatised.

"Eleanor is devastated but is having to keep strong for the children's sake - she can't go to pieces.

'It was pointless'

Mr Griplas ran a company chartering sailing boats to tourists in Chukwani, on the south coast of Zanzibar.

Mrs Hewett said: "I think they were very happy, it is hard work what they do, but they loved it."

She said she had been to the island in the past to visit the family and while petty crime was considered quite common there, such violent attacks were unheard of.

"They came for the money and they gave it to them," she said.

"Eleanor opened the safe and gave it to them so there was no need to shoot him.

"It was pointless."

Mr Griplas was cremated on Tuesday at a ceremony attended by about 300 locals and expatriates.

Police on the island are reported to have arrested two suspects in connection with the attack.