14 Apr 2005

Threat to name people in Fiji owing money to mafia queen

11:54 am on 14 April 2005

There's been a threat in Fiji to make public the names of prominent people owing money to the deported Chinese national widely known as the Mafia Queen.

Fiji TV reports that the threat has been made by controversial businessman Jioji Bakoso, who is the guardian of the Mafia Queen Yan Xua Hua's 11-year old fugitive daughter, Wei Hsu Cheng, and who is trying to prevent the girl's deportation.

Mr Bakoso says prominent people including former cabinet ministers and senior police officers borrowed money from Ms Yan's company, Kung Wah Trading, which remains unpaid.

He says he has been authorised by Ms Yan, who is now in China, to collect the money.

The TV report says Mr Bakoso's files from the Kung Wah Trading show the amounts borrowed range from 3,000 to 18,000 US dollars, and the signatures of those who took the money.

They include the name of a prominent hotelier who has owned money since 1993.

Mr Bakoso says he will go with full force to collect the debts, adding that otherwise he will name names which will bring down many prominent people.