10 May 2005

Mafia Queen's daughter to stay in Fiji, says High Court

7:24 am on 10 May 2005

The Suva High Court has ordered that the daughter of the so-called Mafia Queen of Fiji remains in the country until the final resolution of the deportation order against her.

The Mafia Queen, the Chinese national Yan Xua Hua, was deported to China in early April.

The minister for home affairs, Josefa Vosanibola, then issued a deportation order against 11-year old Wei Wei Cheng.

Justice Filimoni Jitoko has refused an application by Wei Wei's former guardian Jioji Bakoso, jailed last week for coup-related offences, to allow her to stay in the country.

But Justice Jitoko has placed her in the care of the Social Welfare Department until a judicial review of the deportation order is carried out.

This is expected to be heard at the end of May.

Wei Wei was issued with a Fiji passport in March but authorities are now investigating how this was done in the Immigration Department... when she wasn't entitled to a Fiji passport.

Meanwhile, Wei Wei's lawyers have applied for Fiji citizenship for the girl and for the Mafia Queen to be allowed to return.