By any standard, Cambodian tycoon Teng Boonma is a controversial figure. In three jurisdictions, he is a suspected criminal. Yet Mr Teng has proved adept at evading trial for his alleged crimes.
Yesterday he walked free from the Western Magistrates court by producing documents entitling him to claim diplomatic immunity. Because Mr Teng's various foreign travel documents are contradictory in nature it is difficult to establish his true credentials.
He has run a business in Sheung Wan since 1983, but even the Cambodian Consulate admits he plays no diplomatic role here. His titles are simply a reward for massive donations to Hun Sen's government, and his status has been accepted on the authority of the central Government, with whom he has close ties.
Mr Teng produced a diplomatic passport when charged in November, but the Immigration Department apparently considered he had no immunity. It was not until he sought immunity in court that the SAR checked with Beijing, which confirmed his diplomatic status.
Banned from the United States, which claims to have sound evidence of his involvement in international drug dealing, sought by Interpol for allegedly giving a false name to obtain a Thai passport, Mr Teng's gun-toting exploits have earned him notoriety that in most countries would have led to him being put behind bars as a threat to public safety. It would be a mistake to let him remain, when it is not known whether he is here by legal means.
Diplomatic immunity is often used as a convenient bolt-hole for people who prefer not to run the risk of a trial. When that happens, the usual procedure is to ensure the defendant leaves the country and is barred from returning. If this man is allowed to stay, it will be another blow to the SAR's legal reputation and international image.