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An Indonesian visitor who acted as a check-in facilitator for a Mainland visitor with a forged passport has been jailed for 11 months, the Immigration Department said today (May 16).
The 36-year-old male defendant, Jandy, pleaded guilty at the District Court today to one count of aiding and abetting the procurement of services by deception. He was sentenced to 11 months' imprisonment on the charge.
The court heard that a female Mainlander intended to board a flight for Paris using an Indonesian passport on January 19, 2006. As the airline's officer suspected that the Mainlander's travel document was forged, Immigration investigators took over the case.
For a reward of US$1,000 upon the successful completion of his mission, the defendant agreed, through a middleman in Indonesia, to act as a check-in facilitator for the Mainland visitor who sought entry to France from Hong Kong.
The Mainlander was earlier sentenced to six months' jail for using a forged travel document and making a false representation to an Immigration officer.
Under the Theft Ordinance, people who, by any deception, dishonestly obtain services from another are guilty of an offence and are liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for 10 years.
Ends/Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:51
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