Photo: Ren Biao (C), disembarks from a plane under police escort at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 29, 2017. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 29TH 2017 – Ren Biao, who was being protected by the authorities in St. Kitts and Nevis has returned to China.
Reuters, Global Times, China Daily and Tropix.com report that Ren, one of China’s most wanted fugitives, has returned to China and turned himself in to the police, the anti-corruption authority said Saturday.
Ren, 44, former “actual controlling shareholder” of Daluo energy supplies company in east China’s Jiangsu Province, fled to the Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in January 2014 after being accused of fraudulently obtaining loans and fabricating financial bills, according to a statement released by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. He was an economic citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis.
In April 2015, Interpol issued a “red notice” of 100 corruption fugitives wanted by China. Many of the fugitives were former government staff or employees of state-owned enterprises.
Ren was ranked 92nd among them and the 42nd to be returned so far.
Ren’s return, once again, is a warning for fugitives and proves there is no safe haven overseas, according to the statement.
Reuters said Yang Xiuzhu, a former deputy mayor who was at the top of the list, turned herself in to authorities late last year after being on the run for more than 13 years.
The CCDI said the successful capture of Ren “once again proves that fugitive corrupt elements must clearly face reality, abandon fantasy and surrender early in order to be treated with leniency.”
China had openly accused the Team Unity Government of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris of refusing a request to hand him over Ren citing the need for due process.
In a statement from its embassies around the world, the Peoples Republic of China said St. Kitts and Nevis is fast becoming a haven for criminals by harbouring Ren Biao and accused Prime Minister Harris of being un-cooperative on the issue. Biao, who is on the Interpol list, is wanted in China for defrauding a state-owned company of US$100 million.
China said it had intercepted communication on April 16 in which the fugitive, who is in St. Kitts and is an economic citizen, called relatives in Beijing seeking an additional US$190,000 to help to continue pay for his protection by Kittitian authorities.
The Government first denied having informal or formal information on the matter, but regional media outlet, CaribUpdate said its own investigation revealed that the Ren Biao matter was raised via an unnamed Caribbean country (Grenada) with the Timothy Harris-led Administration in January this year.
“There was a direct request made on the issue of Ren Biao in January to (Miss Kay Bass), the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Kitts and Nevis from the Permanent Secretary of another Caribbean country (Grenada),” CaribUpdate said.
The regional media house said this was also followed by direct communications between the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit of St. Kitts and Nevis, Ms. Jacqueline Berry and her counterpart in Grenada.
CaribUpdate further reported that at the meeting in Basseterre, officials of the Timothy Harris Government and law enforcement officers including members of the High Command were provided with details of the claims of financial impropriety.
The Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Head of the Financial Intelligence Unit in Grenada subsequently met in Basseterre in April this year on the Ren Biao issue.
CaribUpdate also said that Kittitian security officials met with Chinese security officials over the issue in early April this year after they were granted a visa waiver from Basseterre to enter St. Kitts and Nevis.
They were met on arrival at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by St. Kitts security officials on April 14th and spent a week on the island.
Prime Minister Harris had admitted knowledge of the request to handover Biao, but the questions remain, who in his government has been offering protection to Ren and who collected the protection money?
*This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKN PULSE. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical errors within press releases and (or) commentaries. The views contained within are not necessarily those of SKN PULSE.
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