PNG's Finance Minister impersonator caught

Impersonator known as King David. EMTV Photo

A professional impersonator known as King David, who has been using senior state ministers name to transact large sum of money has been caught by police in Port Moresby.

The con artist and his accomplice were arrested after attempting to receive two thousand kina from a pastor from the PNG Revival Centre.

The suspect was caught yesterday at the Manu Auto Port after evading police for the past couple of months.

A press conference was held later at the Boroko Police station to address the media and public after police got hold of the impersonator.

When addressing the media, NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa said, many people have been ripped off by these impersonators.

“There is a ring of people who are involved in it. And, it extends to a lot of institutions,” said Bawa.

“We need to fight this at all cost, even if it means to put a war on such con artist to use names of ministers and well known people to get money out from people for their greed.

“It is about time that we need to clamp down on them very hard.

“We have names of the accomplices and there will be a lead investigation into this matter,” Bawa added.

Bawa urged the public to report to the police and confirm identities of such suspicious con artist.

Finance Minister James Marape said state ministers do not operate on the streets regarding government proposals or documents seeking financial approval.

“This sought of things have been going on, and it makes our government system look very bad…it is showing that all the ministers are running around conning people and getting money from them,” said Marape.

“Let this event be the signal to Papua New Guineans that if someone is out their claiming to be an agent of a minister, or an agent of the state, or an agent of a public servant, I am appealing that you call the police hotline and report the matter,” he said.

Minister Marape voiced that no payments will be made to individuals by ministers, members of parliament and departmental heads of the government.

Police interrogation has revealed that there is an organised group conducting these illegal activities with a son of a prominent Mendi businessman aiding the impersonators.

The suspect is 39 years old from Enga Province married to seven wives with four children. He is now being arrested, charged and refused bail at the Boroko Police station awaiting further investigations.

EMTV