Removal case hearing

A Chinese man found not guilty of a murder charge on Friday is in custody after being served with an immigration removal order.

Feng Li, 44, was detained under a warrant of commitment when he appeared in the Auckland District Court on Monday.

He will reappear in Auckland District Court next Monday, when his lawyer Simon Laurent will seek to have him released. Li is also seeking a judicial review of the order.

After a three-week trial in the High Court, Li was found not guilty of murdering his lover, 54-year-old Auckland massage parlour owner Xiukun Feng, also known as Nancy Peterson .

The jury reached its verdict in about three hours. Li was served with the removal order immediately following the verdict.

Mr Laurent said Li's permit to stay in New Zealand expired in May. At that stage he was on bail charged with Mrs Peterson's murder and his passport had been surrendered.

That meant he could not apply for another permit, nor could he leave New Zealand voluntarily, Mr Laurent said.

Mrs Peterson's body was found in the back of her car in New Lynn on April 30 last year. She had died from a single blow to the back of her head.

The Crown alleged that Li killed Mrs Peterson because she had been growing obsessive and jealous with the impending return of his wife from China.

- NZPA