********************************************
A Hong Kong resident involved in marriage of convenience was jailed for 10 months after appearing in Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today (June 14).
Cheng Tak Wai, 29, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud.
In an investigation into a marriage of convenience case Cheng admitted that he had entered into a false marriage with a Mainland woman in Hong Kong in July, 2005, for money and to facilitate the bogus wife to apply for a "90-day visit" endorsement to enter Hong Kong.
"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.
Ends/Thursday, June 14, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:00
NNNN
