Pacific

Bougainville conman promises investors he'll pay them in his own currency

20:10 pm on 8 July 2009

One of the most wanted men in Papua New Guinea, Noah Musingku, has promised duped investors he'll pay them in his own currency with pictures of himself and Jesus Christ on it.

Mr Musingku, who lives in a self imposed exile in Bougainville with his own militia, has been sought by PNG police for years for defrauding hundreds of millions of kina from investors through his U-Vistract money scheme.

He's now planning to launch his "Bougainville kina".

The first secretary of the office of Bougainville's president, Dennis Kuiai, says people shouldn't be duped again, as the currency is illegal.

"We strongly feel that this is something that will further divide Bougainvilleans, continue to promote disunity and it'll continue to rip Bougainvilleans off their money and at the end without realising that they're on their losing side, they'll lose their fortune."

But Dennis Kuiai says they've asked the PNG government pardon the conman, as it would help foster peace.