Is he a shop-keeper or a chef? That was the question that the courts were trying to figure out today. Thirty one-year-old Chinese national, Zijia Li, of Corozal Town was caught in violation of his work permit and today they took him to court to answer to a single immigration charge of having failed to comply with the conditions under which a temporary employment permit had been granted. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charge but after he was remanded to the Hattieville Prison for one week, Li changed his plea to guilty. He says it’s not because he was guilty of the offence they are accusing him, but because he just simply could not afford to go to jail for a week. Li’s arrest came early this morning when according to Immigration Personnel, there was a joint operation conducted with Immigration and Social Security Board that led them to visit Rong’s Restaurant on Central American Boulevard where they made checks in the restaurant and caught Li in the act of frying a chicken. A check of his work permit stated that he was only to work as a shop as a shop clerk at Shao Fen Zeng Shop in Corozal. Li said he was on vacation and only helping his cousin with the preparation of deep fried chicken for them to eat, not for a customer. With the aid of his translator, Lee Mark Chang, Li said he did not get justice today. He said that he cannot understand how is it that the Immigration Officer was successful in objecting to bail against him when he is not in the country illegally. The Immigration personnel had told the court that he objected to bail because the department can’t keep track of Li while he is out on bail and they believe this fried chicken chef is likely to abscond before the case goes to trial. At the close of the case, Li was fined one thousand dollars plus a cost of five dollars for the cost of court.

Channel 5

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