MONROVIA: Just days after he expressed interest in investing in Liberia’s health sector, Indian Businessman Manoj Kumar Vatwani has been deported for overlapping the country’s immigration.
Authorities at the Liberia Immigration Services (LIS) say Mr. Vatwani and his family entered the country illegally through the Liberia/Sierra Leone border crossing point.
The Indian Businessman and his wife entered Liberia on Sunday, June 9, riding in the back of Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin’s private vehicle through the Bo-Waterside crossing point without going 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.
In the judge’s wisdom, the government did not have sufficient evidence to prosecute him 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.
His legal counsels have been making efforts to engage the government to dismiss the diplomatic constraints placed on him.
Meanwhile, according to the LIS in its release, dated Wednesday, June 12, 2024, under the signature of Mr. Laurie Massaquoi Page, Chief of Press and Public Affairs, Mr. Vatwani was invited by LIS upon learning of his presence in the country through Internal Affairs Minister Nyumalin who later turned him over to the LIS.
He was told to produce his traveling documents, but it was discovered that he had no entry stamps in his traveling documents, something the LIS said, amounted to illegal entry in 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.
