Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article Government Homepage
Jail term for bogus marriage repeater
*************************************

   A Hong Kong woman received a jail sentence for engaging in bogus marriages with two Mainland residents when she appeared in the Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today (January 10).

   The 27-year-old defendant, Chen Siu-ying, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud. She was given an effective sentence of 16 months.

      Chen admitted she had entered into two bogus marriages for quick money with a Mainland resident on the Mainland last April and with another one in Hong Kong last May for $8,000 each.

      The case was unveiled when her bogus husband, Mainland resident Fu Yong-yi, was intercepted at an immigration control point in November 2006. He was investigated because of the doubtful purpose of visit. Fu was subsequently sentenced to 18 -months' imprisonment on conspiracy charges and for making a false representation in December 2006.  
   
     "The department has been very concerned with non-Hong Kong residents obtaining the right to stay in Hong Kong by means of bogus marriages," a department spokesman said. "A special task force has been set up to gather intelligence through various avenues and a thorough investigation will be conducted once evidence comes to light. If there is enough evidence, the department will prosecute the offenders.

     "For people who have obtained their residence in Hong Kong by fraudulent means, their Hong Kong identity card and residence status will be declared invalid according to the laws of Hong Kong. They will also be subject to removal back to their place of origin," the spokesman said.

     Under the laws of Hong Kong, anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years.

Ends/Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:19

NNNN

Print this page