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A Mainland woman who paid 10,000 renminbi for a marriage of convenience was jailed after appearing in Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today (June 21).
Pang Ruirong, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and was given an effective sentence of 12 months.
Pang admitted that she had agreed with a middleman to enter into a false marriage which she intended to use to acquire a "90-day visit" endorsement to enter Hong Kong and eventually for settlement. After the "marriage", she visited Hong Kong, falsely declaring to the Immigration control officers that she came to visit his resident husband.
"The Immigration Department has been very concerned with non-Hong Kong residents obtaining stay in Hong Kong by means of marriage of convenience" 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 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.
Ends/Thursday, June 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:15
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