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A Mainland overstayer had been jailed for using a forged Hong Kong identity card to seek employment in a noodle shop and also possessing eight other forged identity cards, the Immigration Department said today (October 5).
The female defendant, Zhao Jinyou, 34, pleaded guilty in the District Court today to two counts of breach of condition of stay, one count of using a false instrument and one count of possession of eight forged identity cards.
On the two charges of breach of condition of stay, she was jailed for two months and one month. She received 15 months' imprisonment on the false instrument charge. The jail term on the first charge will run concurrently with the third charge but consecutively with the second, making a total of 16 months' imprisonment. On the fourth charge, she was jailed for 18 months, of which eight months will run consecutively to other charges, bringing the total jail time for Zhao to two years.
Immigration investigators mounted an anti-illegal worker operation in Shau Kei Wan in July and found the defendant working inside the kitchen of a noodle shop. A check of records revealed that Zhao entered Hong Kong as a visitor and her limit of stay had expired. She admitted to having used a forged identity card for a job interview at the noodle shop.
A search at Zhao's local residence failed to find the forged identity card she used for the job interview, but eight other forged identity cards were found.
Under the laws of Hong Kong, visitors who breach their conditions of stay in Hong Kong are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment of two years.
Anyone who uses a false instrument also commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for 14 years.
Moreover, anyone who possesses a forged identity card commits an offence and is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for 10 years.
Ends/Thursday, October 5, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:43
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