China confirms that ‘most wanted’ Ren Biao is back in country

Ren Biao, one of China's most wanted fugitives accused of forgery and fraudulently obtaining loans, has returned to the country and handed himself over to the police.

He has been at the centre of a political blame game in St Kitts and Nevis over the granting of his passport, with current Prime Minister Timothy blaming his predecessor for not taking action against a wanted man. Former Prime Minister Denzil Douglas denied any wrongdoing, claiming that Harris was “deliberately lying to mislead the people of St Kitts and Nevis”. He called for the prime minister to stand down. In an exclusive interview with WIC News, former commissioner of police, CG Walwyn said police were aware that someone on the Interpol list entered the country but didn't pass this information to the prime minister as they were leaving the federation shortly.

This move as described as "a law enforcement decision".

There have been unsubstantiated allegations made across the federation that Ren was paying ‘protection money’ to allow him shelter from Chinese authorities.

China said it had intercepted communication on 16 April in which the fugitive called relatives in Beijing seeking an additional US$190,000 to help to continue pay for his protection by Kittitian authorities.

WIC News has seen no evidence to support this claim.

Reputation of St Kitts and Nevis

A major shareholder of an energy supply company in eastern China's Jiangsu province, Ren fled to the Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis in January 2014, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the Chinese Communist Party's anti-corruption body.

He has been described as an “economic citizen” of St Kitts.

In a statement from its embassies around the world earlier this year, China said St Kitts and Nevis is fast becoming a haven for criminals, and accused the government of being uncooperative.

Ren's name was on a 2015 list of China's 100 most wanted corruption suspects living abroad and targeted with an Interpol red notice. He is the 42nd of the 100 to be returned to China, the CCDI notice said.

Ren was ranked 92nd among them and the 42nd to be returned so far.

Yang Xiuzhu, a former deputy mayor who was at the top of the list, turned herself in to authorities late last year after being on the run for more than 13 years.

The CCDI said the successful capture of Ren "once again proves that fugitive corrupt elements must clearly face reality, abandon fantasy and surrender early in order to be treated with leniency."