China is reported to be preparing to execute a man in connection with a murder in Dublin 13 years ago.
Chen Li Ming, 22, died from head injuries following an attack in Dublin in October 2002 and the case has remained unsolved. A Dublin Coroners Court jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing by a person or persons unknown.
Six of the seven men suspected in the attack fled Ireland following the attack, while the seventh man – who is now being sought by Chinese officials – was released due to a lack of sufficient evidence to charge him.
China had sought Garda assistance in bringing the perpetrators – believe to be a group of Chinese men - to justice, according to The Irish Daily Mail. However, assurances were made to Irish authorities that, if garda files on the case were handed over, none of those convicted in connection with the death would be executed.
Chinese authorities have now said that six of seven have been ‘brought to justice’ in China, with one of the men sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. Chinese officials are now reportedly seeking the help of Irish authorities in extraditing the remaining suspect. The suspect is now an Irish citizen and the Department of Foreign Affairs are reported to be unwilling to extradite him.
Then Chinese authorities have continued to pressure the Department of Foreign Affairs to extradite the man, while ignoring queries about the reason for breaking the previous promise that no extradited suspect would be executed.
A senior government source told the Mail: “This has caused a major diplomatic crisis. Essentially a man is to be executed because of a Garda investigation in Dublin.
“The Chinese gave assurances they would not impose the death penalty and then they broke that agreement.
“Despite being asked on a number of occasions why and how this happened, they will simply not discuss that matter any further.”
The man is set to face execution by lethal injection in March.
Mr Li Ming died following an attack at Captain’s Road, Crumlin. Following the attack the six returned to China, following which Chinese authorities sought Garda assistance in building a case against the men in China. Irish authorities agreed to this request following extensive negotiations, handing over Garda files in 2009. However, this agreement was made on the understanding that the Chinese authorities would not execute any of the suspects found guilty. The Daily Mail reports that the Chinese authorities agreed to this condition before Garda files were handed over.
In March of last year Foreign Affairs officials received a letter from the Chinese embassy in Dublin informing them that one of the men in the case had been sentenced to death.
The letter said six men had been convicted in connection with the killing, with one of those, Wand Hong Kai, sentenced to death. Of the others, Wang Min Yu and Yu Kai Liang were sentenced to life, while Guo Zhi Nan and Hu Rui were sentenced to 15 years in prison. The sixth man, Yuan Hai Tao, received a 12-year sentence.
The letter then asked the Department to aid in bringing the seventh suspect ‘to justice’ and asking for his extradition from Ireland to China, for potential prosecution.
In responding in a letter on May 21, 2014, the Department said:
“The Department wishes to convey the concerns of the Irish authorities in relation to the sentence imposed Hongkai Wang – the death sentence with a two-year reprieve. The Department wishes to recall that, prior to Irish authorities providing mutual assistance in response to a request from the Chinese authorities in relation to the Chen Li Ming case, the Irish authorities sought from, and were provided with, by the Chinese authorities, assurances in respect of the death penalty ... dated September 8, 2009, from the embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
“The Irish requirement was that the death penalty neither be imposed, nor carried out, in respect of a number of individuals, including Hongkai Wang, as a condition for providing assistance.
The Department has raised several questions regarding the imposition of the death penalty following the agreement between the two countries, but has so far received no response.
There is no extradition treaty between Ireland and China, which the Department has pointed out to the Chinese authorities. The Department has also said that there is ‘insufficient evidence’ to bring any criminal charges against the man.
A Government source told the Mail:
“For all we know, this man has already been executed.
“It is shocking how this ever happened... It is unlikely there will be any co-operation between Ireland and China in future over any criminal matters. It could have a knock-on effect in many aspects of diplomatic relations between the two nations.”
