AG informs Court of Appeal Chinese national held by Immigration is wanted in China

By AJA Abeynayake

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal that the Chinese national apprehended by the Immigration and Emigration Department, while trying to enter Sri Lanka, with two passports, was a suspect wanted in China with a pending arrest warrant over a drug charge.

Additional Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the AG, said so when a writ petition filed by the Chinese national in question, Lee Pan was called before the Court of Appeal.

Lee Pan has, in his petition, alleged that the officers of the Immigration and Emigration Department assaulted him and injured him.

However, the Chinese national has accepted, before the Judicial Medical Officer, that the injuries were self-inflicted.

Later, President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena, who appeared for the petitioner, requested the Court for permission to withdraw the petition.

The Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and A. Marikkar, who granted permission for the withdrawal of the petition and ordered it to be dismissed.

However, the petitioner has mentioned in his petition that there were two passports related to the two countries China and Guinea, and that the officers of the Immigration and Emigration Department of Sri Lanka detained him, alleging that the Guinea passport was fake.