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Two Mainland women involved in false marriages were both jailed after appearing in Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today (March 29).
Chen Shaoling, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of making false representation to an Immigration Officer and was given an effective sentence of 12 months.
Chen was intercepted on arrival at Man Kam To control point on January 31, 2007. She admitted that she had agreed with a middleman to enter into a false marriage with a Hong Kong resident. She intended to use the false marriage to acquire a "90-day visit" endorsement to enter Hong Kong for job seeking. She married her bogus husband on the Mainland, in December, 2006. Chen then made visits to Hong Kong after the "marriage", falsely declaring to the Immigration control officers that she came to visit her resident husband.
The second Mainland woman, Lin Shaofen, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of making false representation to an Immigration officer and was jailed for 18 months.
Lin was intercepted earlier this month (March) and questioned about a marriage of convenience case.
She admitted entering into a false marriage with a Hong Kong resident at a cost of $10,000. She intended to use the false marriage to acquire a "90-day visa" endorsement to enter Hong Kong and eventually for settlement. She married her bogus husband in Hong Kong, in July, 2005, and then made visits to Hong Kong after the "marriage", falsely declaring to the Immigration control officers that she came to visit her resident husband.
"The Immigration Department has been very concerned with non-Hong Kong residents obtaining stay in Hong Kong by means of bogus marriage," 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. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalty.
Ends/Thursday, March 29, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:58
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