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A Mainland bogus marriage facilitator, a Hong Kong woman and her bogus husband have been jailed after appearing in the Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today (January 29).
The Hong Kong resident, Yip Yee-ching, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud and was given an effective sentence of 18 months.
Yip's 25-year-old bogus husband, Yuan Xuejia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of making of false representation to an Immigration officer. He was given an effective sentence of 12 months.
A Mainland woman, Lin Erfei, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and was jailed for six months.
Immigration investigators took over an illegal employment case from the Police. Yuan, who was found working in a fruit stall on November 28, 2006, was in possession of a Mainland Entry and Exit Permit bearing a "90-day visa" endorsement.
He admitted that he had entered into a bogus marriage with Yip on the Mainland in July, 2006, at a cost of renminbi 32,000. He intended to make use of the bogus marriage to acquire a "90-day visa" endorsement to seek work in Hong Kong. On November 22, 2006, he arrived in Hong Kong and declared to the Immigration control officer that he was going to visit his resident wife, Yip.
Records revealed that Yip had married another Mainland resident in Hong Kong in August, 2006.
Yip admitted that she had entered into two bogus marriages. The first was with Yuan on the Mainland in July, 2006, and the second one was registered with another Mainland man in Hong Kong in August, 2006. She received HK$25,000 as reward for the two bogus marriages.
The marriage facilitator, Lin, admitted that she had accompanied Yip to register the marriage with Yuan on the Mainland last July, for monetary reward. She was aware that their bogus marriage was to help Yuan acquire a "90-day visa" endorsement for Hong Kong.
"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.
It is also an offence to make a false representation to Immigration officers. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalty.
Ends/Monday, January 29, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:41
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