Kantha: Guilty foreign couple have no grounds to stay

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
CHIEF Migration Officer Solomon Kantha says the Chinese couple found guilty of assaulting a journalist should not remain in Papua New Guinea.
Shu Ding Wu, 35, and her husband Ming Zhen, 36, were found guilty by the Lae District Court on Dec 28 of assaulting and insulting the journalist in Lae recently.
Their company had cancelled their business engagement
Kantha said yesterday foreign nationals were expected to be of good character while in the country.
Character checks are part of the visa application process.
“They now have no business to operate and have also displayed bad behavior,” Kantha said.
“Their visas will be canceled on these grounds. But then again, only Immigration Minister Petrus Thomas will make that decision on their future in Papua New Guinea after receiving a briefing from us.
“In their case, we have taken note of the penalty imposed by the court.
“This means that their conduct in the country, and given they were charged and fined, will impact on future decision to renew their visa once it expires.”
Kantha also said the Chinese couple had lost their business – a decision by the fuel supplier which owns the property, given that they were smoking.
This was given the proximity of their shop to the fuel service station which could have pose fire hazard concerns.