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A Hong Kong contractor was today (October 10) jailed by Sha Tin Magistrates' Court for employing nine Mainland visitors to work in a laundry company.
The 39-year-old defendant, Chan Po-kuen, pleaded guilty to nine counts of employing a person not lawfully employable. He was jailed for nine months on each charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Immigration officers took over the case from police and labour inspectors who conducted a joint raid at a Kwun Tong laundry company on September 20. Nine Mainland visitors were found working there.
Chan admitted that he had contracted the laundry company washing jobs and employed the visitors with daily wages of $150.
The nine Mainland visitors were each charged with one count of breach of condition of stay and were each sentenced to six to seven weeks' jail after pleading guilty on September 23.
The Immigration Department warned that it was an offence to employ people who were not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
Visitors are not permitted to take up employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the prior permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and two years' jail.
Ends/Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:08
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