Reports reaching this paper say, Indian Businessman Manoj Vatwani has been sent back to his initial destination for entering Liberia with vague travel and entry documents.
Authorities at the Liberia Immigration Services (LIS) said Mr. Vatwani and his family might have entered the country illegally through the Liberia/Sierra Leone border crossing point, just days after expressing interest of investing in Liberia’s health sector.
Allegedly riding in the back of Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin’s private vehicle through the Bo-Waterside crossing point, the LIS said apparently due to the Minister’s status, they family who entered Liberia on Sunday, June 9, did not go through immigration formalities.
Mr. Vatwani, a former resident of Liberia, fled the country after Criminal Court “C” Judge Blamo Dixon set him free of criminal charges brought against him by the previous regime with the wisdom that the government did not have sufficient evidence to prosecute on the charges that were leveled against him.
However, despite being set free by the court he was considered a persona non-grata by state but in the LIS release on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, his legal counsels have been engaging the government to dismiss the diplomatic restrains on him.
According to the LIS Chief of Press and Public Affairs, while in the country, Mr. Vatwani Internal Affairs Minister Nyumalin later turned him over to the LIS.
Mr. Laurie Massaquoi Page said the Indian businessman produced a traveling that had no entry stamps to trace which port of entry was used, something the LIS said amounted to a violation of the Alien and Nationality Law of Liberia.
Section 5.90 provides that “Any alien who enters Liberia at any time or place other than as designated by law; Eludes examination or inspection by immigration; or Obtains entry to Liberia by a willfully false or misleading representation or the concealment of a material fact, shall be subject to a fine of up to $1000 or imprisonment for up to one year or both” the release disclosed.
However, the LIS argued that its action complies with Annex 9 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (1CAO) of 1947, which states, “the last Country in which a passenger previously stayed and most recently traveled from is invited to accept him or her for re-examination when he or she has been refused admission to another country.
The release pointed out that Mr. Vatwani admitted that he came directly from Sierra Leone during the investigation.
