Row over detection and detention of Chinese ‘businessman’ Li

The Chinese Embassy has requested local authorities to deport a Chinese businessman, who on Thursday, attempted to enter Sri Lanka on a forged passport, Immigration officials said.

However, the businessman Li Pan, is refusing to go to China and has now petitioned the Court of Appeal against his deportation.

The case is being heard tomorrow, Immigration and Emigration Controller General I. S. H. J. Ilukpitiya said. He refused to divulge further information on account of the legal proceedings.

Mr. Li had arrived on an Emirates flight from Dubai around 9.50 p.m. on May 18. Immigration sources said he had "hung around" for two hours before presenting himself at the Immigration counter of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). They suspect it was to avoid being sent back on the same flight.

Immigration officials became suspicious when Mr. Li handed over a Guinean passport that contained an electronic travel authorisation. The authorities initially doubted it might be a stolen travel document with an altered bio page. When they did a brief forensic test of the West African nation passport and Interpol verification was completed, it was found that the document was forged, the officials said.

Immigration finalised the documentation to have Mr. Li deported. All the while, he was causing a disturbance at the airport, vehemently refusing to be sent back--to China or to Dubai--from where he had come.

He had been with another Chinese national and an Egyptian, who had also protested against Immigration’s detention of him, but had subsequently left the airport as their documents were in order.

In the interim, Immigration Controller Ilukpitiya received a letter from Urban Development and Housing State Minister Arundika Fernando requesting the Controller General to grant Mr. Li permission to “embark without hassle” and the “purpose of his tour is to invest funds towards a few housing projects in Sri Lanka which are under the purview of my Ministry.” It was taken as a request from the State Minister for the passenger to 'disembark', not 'embark.'

This letter also mentioned that Mr. Li was the holder of a passport bearing No. EA9528151 issued by China. Mr. Ilukpitiya denied that he was pressured by anyone to clear Mr. Li but confirmed he had received Minister Fernando’s letter. When the Sunday Times telephoned him, the Minister did not pick up the phone despite repeated attempts to contact him.

Immigration officials later searched Mr. Li’s bag and found a Chinese passport. He was cleared to leave on May 19 on the basis of this authentic travel document, Immigration sources said, indicating the order had come from the Controller General. The forged passport and genuine passport had different names.

After he left, however, Immigration communicated with the Chinese Embassy which requested that he be deported. The Embassy also issued a statement on Twitter urging Chinese citizens who come to Sri Lanka for business, work, study and tourism to “strictly abide” by Sri Lankan laws and regulations, and respect local religious and cultural customs. It said the matter of Mr. Li was under investigation.

On the basis of interactions with the Embassy, Immigration officials sought Mr. Li out at his place of residence and summoned him to their headquarters to record a statement. At this point, he was taken into custody and is now being held at the Welisara Immigration Detention Centre.

Mr. Illukpitiya said he is expected to be deported to China, as his valid passport was from that country. But Mr. Li continues to insist he does not want to go back. He had even allegedly offered a US$ 3,000 bribe to Immigration officials at BIA to facilitate his release, but this had been turned down, the Sunday Times learned. There had also reportedly been “phone calls” made to Immigration officials in this regard.

Regardless of the State Minister’s request, Sri Lanka planned to deport Mr. Li to China, said Public Security Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunathilake, adding that he had indicated he would prefer to go to Dubai.

“We are facing a dilemma. While we have not made a final decision to which country we will deport him, we have concluded that he will definitely be deported,” Mr. Gunathilake said.

Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said he had already given the order to deport Mr. Li.

“State Ministers can make requests but the decision is up to the State officials who have been given responsibility. The officials have to act according to the law. As the Chinese national tried to enter the country with a forged passport, he should be deported under the law,” Mr Alles said.

It has not been decided where he would be sent, the Minister said, adding that it was being further investigated why Mr. Li had produced a forged passport at Immigration while being in possession of a valid one.