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A Hong Kong resident was charged with one count of making false representation at Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts today (August 28). He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.
The 34-year-old defendant married a Mainland pregnant woman in the Mainland on June 6, 2013. Subsequently, the Mainland pregnant woman successfully obtained a Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking from a private hospital for delivery services in 2013 by virtue of her marital relationship with the defendant. The Immigration Department had doubts concerning the marital relationship between the Mainland pregnant woman and the defendant, which led to an investigation.
The Mainland pregnant woman attempted to enter Hong Kong in August 2013 by claiming that she was going to attend an antenatal check-up and visit the defendant. An immigration officer interviewed the defendant and he claimed that he had known the Mainland pregnant woman for many years and had an intimate relationship with her for one and a half years. In view of their doubtful marital relationship, the Mainland pregnant woman was refused permission to land. During the further investigation on the defendant, he admitted under caution that under the arrangement of a middleman, he had received around $15,000 as monetary reward to contract a bogus marriage with the Mainland pregnant woman in order to enable her to obtain a Confirmation Certificate on Delivery Booking for delivery in Hong Kong. He also admitted that he had made false representation to an immigration officer by stating that he had known the Mainland pregnant woman for many years and had an intimate relationship with her for one and a half years.
"Under the laws of Hong Kong, any person who makes false representation to an immigration officer commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, subject to the maximum penalty of a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Furthermore, the Immigration Department is concerned about the situation of non-local pregnant women seeking to give birth in Hong Kong by illegal means. While great efforts are made to intercept non-local pregnant women without a confinement booking at the control points, vigorous enforcement actions have also been taken to combat related immigration offences committed by non-local pregnant women and their abettors," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
Ends/Thursday, August 28, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:14
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