Okafor Chinedu Vincent Alias Bah Elhadj Oumar v. Torture Claims Appeal Board / Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office

HCAL 2603/2019

[2025] HKCFI 3831

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW LIST

NO. 2603 OF 2019

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D E C I S I O N

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THE APPLICATION

1.The applicant is an illegal immigrant by staying in Hong Kong without permission and he lodged a non-refoulement claim with the Director of Immigration (“the Director”). The Director rejected his application and he appealed to the Torture Claims Appeal Board (“the Board”). Having considered his evidence, the Board, by its Decision (“the Board’s Decision”), rejected his appeal and affirmed the Director’s Decision.

2.Pursuant to Order 53, rule 3(2) of the Rules of the High Court (“RHC”), the applicant filed Form No. 86 to apply for leave to apply for judicial review of the Board’s Decision.

3.By Judgment dated 22 April 2015 (“the Judgment”), the Court dismissed his application for the reason that there is no realistic prospect of success in his intended application.

4.The Judgment was sent to the applicant on 22 April 2025 at his last known address without being returned from the Post Office. He is deemed to receive the Judgment[1].

5.The time for filing the notice of appeal expired on 6 May 2025[2].

6.By summons filed on 6 June 2025, the applicant applied for appeal against the Court’s decision out of time. He is late for 1 month.

7.In his affirmation in support of his application, the applicant said that he did not receive the Judgment and he should be given a reasonable opportunity to present his case.

Discussion

8.Pursuant to Order 32, rule 11 and 11A and Order 53, rule 3(3) of the RHC, having considered the applicant’s reason, I decide to determine this application on paper without an oral hearing[3].

9.The Court will consider the factors as set out in AW v. Director of Immigration and William Lam [2016] 2 HKC 393 at para. 27(3) in considering if extension of time should be extended: (1) the length of delay; (2) the reasons for the delay; (3) the prospect of the intended appeal; and (4) the prejudice to the putative respondent if extension of time was granted. I shall consider the merits of his case.

10.In Re Adumekwe Rowland Ejike [2019] HKCA 702, the Court of Appeal held:

“19. The prospect of success of the intended appeal is important: the court will not grant extension for a hopeless appeal to be pursued, see Re Rahman Wasif [2019] HKCA 299 at [13]; Re Kpamou Gbotoi Bernard [2019] HKCA 168; and Re Irshad Muhammad [2018] HKCA 864 at [16].”

11.The applicant claimed that if refouled, he will be harmed or killed by his creditor due to a monetary dispute in Nigeria.

12.The Director rejected his claim because it was not substantiated. He appealed to the Board.

13.Having considered the evidence, the Board dismissed his appeal for the reason that the behaviour of the creditor and his men showed no real intention to cause any serious harm on the applicant. Further, the applicant failed to show that the alleged ill-treatment he would face attained a minimum level of severity to establish his claims. In any event, having considered the Country of Origin Information, state protection is available to the applicant if he returns to Nigeria. In conclusion, the Board held the applicant’s claim failed under all applicable risks. It therefore dismissed his appeal and confirmed the Director’s Decision.

14.Those reasons under paragraph 7 are not valid for his delay.

15.There is no valid reason from the applicant to challenge the Board’s Decision or the Judgment.

16.In the circumstances, I refuse to extend time for his appeal. Accordingly, I dismiss his application.

The applicant was unrepresented.