Chinese Embassy disowns John

MOTSAMAI MOKOTJO

MASERU – The Chinese Embassy in Maseru has distanced itself and all activities of controversial business baron, Yan Xie, declaring that the man widely known as John does not hold Chinese nationality.

A statement issued this week in Maseru by the embassy following a series of media reports regarding the businessman also states that no Chinese citizens, companies or investors in Lesotho are involved in any of Xie’s business activities.

The Embassy has further told Public Eye that they always urge Chinese companies in the country to act in accordance with the law and will continue making contributions to the development of China-Lesotho bilateral relations.

The Chinese Embassy has expressed concern over reference to Xie as a Chinese in several news articles, including those carried by this publication, revealing that the embassy has confirmed that Xie is not a Chinese citizen and his company has nothing to do with any Chinese officials or Chinese investors.

This publication has established that an investigation into Xie’s nationality was instigated by former Minister of Home Affairs, Motlalentoa Letsosa, but drew a blank as Xie, who at the time faced several accusations of business impropriety and corrupt conduct fled the country to Australia.

Letsosa confirmed that inquiries were carried out, however, did not yield any revelations as elections brought in a new government in 2022 and he left office.

“Yes, I can categorically state that steps were underway to establish John’s nationality, however, elections loomed and produced a new government,” he noted. 

The issue of Xie’s nationality comes to the fore at the time that successive articles – Xie Seizes Government Property… Implicated former minister says deal legitimate, and The government’s asset recovery team is on John’s heels – by this publication, have put the spotlight on the businessman who once served as former Prime Minister Motsoahae Thabane’s economic advisor.

He is currently on the authorities’ crosshairs with sources revealing that modalities are well underway to recover several government properties he has allegedly illegally seized.

Public Eye a week ago reported that the Government Assets Search Recovery Task Team (GASRTT) was on Xie’s heels in its endeavour to recover stolen government property.

The GASRTT has, however, been reluctant to divulge much on their pursuit of the businessman, indicating that they were not in a position to reveal the buildings Xie was being probed for in case this puts their investigations in jeopardy. 

“We cannot be premature since our work is sensitive; we have given our boss (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Limpho Tau) reports of identified property belonging to government,” GASRTT deputy chairperson, Moepana Kopo, has said.

Addressing the issue of the seized Lesotho Promotion and Marketing Services (LPMS) building, Kopo told this publication that they are indeed probing the intricacies of how Xie got hold of a sub-lease of that building. 

“The dispute arises when both moveable and immovable property owned by the state has been misappropriated; we are aware, however, we will do our part in terms of finding out how John received a sub-lease.” 

“John was then given the building in which he owns the sub-lease, which entitles, or rather gives him ownership of that building – which in its true sense belongs to the government,” the source said. 

Efforts to get a comment from Xie have failed as his mobile phone rang unanswered several times that this publication sought a reaction from him.