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Four Mainlanders who entered into marriages for convenience with Hong Kong residents were today (May 28) given jail sentences ranging from 12 to 16 months after appearing in Sha Tin Magistrates' Court.
The first case involved 38-year-old Mainlander Zheng Liyun who pleaded guilty to two counts of making false representation to an Immigration officer and one count of conspiracy to defraud. He was given an effective sentence of 16 months.
Zheng was intercepted at the Lowu control point on April 30 claiming to visit his resident wife. He was investigated for his doubtful purpose of visit. He later admitted that the marriage with the Hong Kong resident was one for convenience at a cost of 20,000 reminbi. On the strength of the marriage, he could acquire a "90-day visit" visa to stay longer for taking up illegal employment in Hong Kong.
Mainland visitor Lin Qianli, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of making false representation to an Immigration officer and one count of conspiracy to defraud. He was sentenced to an effective sentence of 16 months.
On May 1, Lin was stopped at the Lowu control point for involvement into a case of marriage for convenience. He admitted to the Immigration investigator that in order to obtain a "90-day visit" visa to allow a longer stay for job seeking and his subsequent settlement in Hong Kong, he had paid for the marriage with a Hong Kong resident at a cost of 20,000 reminbi.
In the third case, 41-year-old Mainland woman Chen Ying who pleaded guilty to two counts of making false representation to an Immigration officer and one count of conspiracy to defraud was jailed for 16 months.
Chen was stopped at the Lowu control point for her involvement in a marriage of convenience with a Hong Kong man. She falsely declared to the Immigration officers on her two last arrivals that she was coming to visit her husband.
Mainland woman Fang Ping, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of making false representation and was given an effective jail term of 12 months.
Fang was stopped at an Immigration control point as she was suspected to have entered a marriage for convenience with a Hong Kong man at a cost of 10,000 reminbi so that she could obtain a "90-day visit" visa to allow her to stay longer and to work illegally in Hong Kong.
An Immigration spokesman said, "the department had been very concerned about non-Hong Kong residents obtaining the right to stay in Hong Kong by means of bogus marriages. "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, May 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:31
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