A Czech drug smuggler, who the Immigration Minister has allowed to stay in New Zealand, couldn't convince a jury he feared for his life in his home country.

Iain Lees-Galloway has granted residency to Karel Sroubek but used his discretionary powers to avoid saying why.

However, the Prime Minister has inferred it was on human rights grounds, and related to the reason he fled the Czech Republic.

Newstalk ZB Political editor Barry Soper told Mike Hosking a jury was told Sroubek's visited his home since coming to New Zealand on a false passport.

"They were swayed after seeing the photograph of Sroubek in the Czech Republic and they didn't, obviously, wear his excuse that he feared returning to his home country claiming corrupt cops in a murder case."

He said the Government is still avoiding any explanation as to why he was granted citizenship.

"We are going to get no answers, by the look of it, out of Government. We tried on Jacinda Ardern yesterday, she's clearly rattled by this [and] doesn't like answering questions on it."

LISTEN ABOVE AS BARRY SOPER SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING