14 Apr 2005

Fiji businessman vows to embarrass leaders over deportation row

3:13 pm on 14 April 2005

A controversial Fiji businessmen is threatening to shock the nation on television tonight by naming people connected to the deported Chinese national known as the Mafia Queen.

Joji Bakoso says he will embarrass a raft of people who owe money to Yan Xua Hua, unless she is allowed back into Fiji.

Mr Bakoso says he will name former cabinet ministers and prominent businessmen who borrowed between 3,000 and 18,000 US dollars from his close friend in return for allowing her to stay in Fiji.

Mr Bakoso, who is the guardian of the woman's young fugitive daughter, Wei Hsu Cheng, says he won't reveal who's involved yet but the list is extensive.

"From top to bottom, I'm going to peel them like bananas. Some of them are my close friends, big business people, I'm going to chop them down. I'll show the public, I'm not frightened of anybody."

Mr Bakuso denies Hua was involved in prostitution rackets, money laundering and other organised crime and says she's earned more in foreign exchange for Fiji through her fishing business than any minister or parliamentarian.

He says the information he has on prominent people is so sensitive he has security officers protecting him.