The mother of a woman murdered in Canada is shocked and angry that her daughter’s killer is in New Zealand and appealing to stay as a refugee.
She is urging the Government here not to be “fooled by lies”.
Ang Li, known to friends here as Leo Li, entered New Zealand in 2019 using a passport with a different name and birth date than his own.
He claims to be a target of the Chinese Communist Party for his pro-Tibet political activism and Christian beliefs, and says he fears for his life and that of his family if returned to China.
A Herald on Sunday investigation revealed that Li was a convicted killer who had previously been jailed for the 2002 murder of his then-girlfriend, 21-year-old Amanda Zhao. Her body was found in a suitcase near a lake in Canada, where the pair were living at the time as international students.
Li fled Canada for China three days after Zhao’s body was found, and was convicted of murder in 2012.
But a court in Beijing later downgraded the conviction to manslaughter and reduced his life sentence to seven years.
He has managed to live under the radar in NZ and started a new life with his wife and two children in central Auckland, and is currently appealing to stay on as a refugee.
A Canadian MP, Jenny Kwan, however, wants her government ministers to intervene in Li’s application, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.
Kwan, an MP for Vancouver-East, sent a letter to four federal ministers last Friday, referring to Li as Li Jiaming, one of at least five identities he has assumed.
He is also known as Zongyuan, Leo, Ang and, according to an INZ report, a fourth unknown identity via a false Antigua and Barbuda passport.
Kwan said that she recently learned from Zhao’s mother, Baoying Yang, about Li’s New Zealand refugee application.
“Ms Yang has indicated that even though Li Jiaming was handed criminal and civil judgments, not only has he failed to show any remorse for this heinous crime, he also failed to comply to the court order to pay any compensation to the family,” Kwan wrote.
“She is urging the Government of New Zealand to not be fooled by lies.”
Kwan said Zhao’s mother was “shocked and angry” that her daughter’s killer was in NZ.
Immigration NZ has declined Li’s first application and described Li as “of changeable character and accustomed to performance and deception”.
It also concluded that there was no real chance for Li and his immediate family to face persecution from the CCP if they returned to China.
But Li is appealing that decision and said he would do everything within his means to stay in NZ because returning to China could mean “the end of me and my family”.
In 2002, Li had been living with Zhao when she disappeared from their Burnaby, British Columbia, home.
Her body was found two weeks later stuffed in a suitcase at Stave Lake by hikers.
An autopsy later determined that Zhao had been strangled.
Li denies killing Zhao and told the Herald he believed “Amanda could still be alive and walking around somewhere”.
“To say something like that is hurtful, is disgraceful, is disgusting. And you know, the family has yet to receive an apology from Ang Li for taking their daughter - their only daughter,” Kwan told CBC.
“Nothing could ever bring Amanda back for the family. But at the very least, show remorse.”
The family claimed Li has not paid the 1,133,300 yuan ($266,387) that he was ordered to give as compensation for her death when his sentence was reduced in 2014.
“Ms Yang believes that Li ... is concealing his wealth to evade this legal responsibility,” Kwan wrote.
The MP wanted the ministers to send information on Li’s criminal history to authorities in NZ before they made their decision on his appeal.
When asked about the status of the appeal, an Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT) spokeswoman told the Herald it “will respond in due course”.
“It is critical that Canada shares factual and pertinent information with the New Zealand immigration department for their consideration as Li Jiaming appeals the negative decision for his application for refugee and protected status in New Zealand,” Kwan wrote.
A spokesman for Immigration Minister Michael Wood said the minister does not comment on potential individual applications.
Fiona Whiteridge, INZ general manager refugee and migrant services, said the agency was not able to comment as the case was with the IPT for appeal.
“INZ is obliged to keep refugee and protection claims confidential under section 151 of the Immigration Act 2009 including the details of any claim and publication about a claimant may lead to that person being endangered,” Whiteridge said.
“As a result we are unable to discuss any aspects of the case, although we can confirm that it is being considered by the Immigration and Protection Tribunal (IPT).”
Li could not be reached for comment.