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A Mainland man and a Hong Kong woman involved in false marriage cases were given respective jail sentences of 16 and 12 months after appearing in Sha Tin Magistrates' Court today (March 26).
In the first case, Mainland man Huang Wu, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of making false representation to an Immigration Officer. He was given an effective sentence of 16 months.
Huang was intercepted upon his departure at Lo Wu control point on February 14, 2007. He admitted that he had agreed with a middleman to enter into a false marriage with a Hong Kong resident at a cost of HK$26,000. He intended to make use of the false marriage to acquire a "90-day visit" endorsement to enter Hong Kong and eventually for settlement. He married his bogus wife on the Mainland, in May, 2006. Huang then made visits to Hong Kong after the "marriage", falsely declaring to the Immigration control officers that he came to visit his resident wife.
In the second case, a Hong Kong woman Ko Yuk-ping, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and was jailed for 12 months.
Ko was located in January this year for investigation into a marriage for convenience case.
Ko admitted that she had agreed with a middleman to enter into a false marriage with a Mainland man for monetary reward. She was aware that the Mainland man would use the marriage certificate to apply a "90-day visa" endorsement to enter Hong Kong and eventually for settlement. She married her bogus husband in July, 2006, on the Mainland. She received HK$15,000 from the middleman as reward.
An Immigration spokesman said the department had been very concerned about non-Hong Kong residents obtaining the right to stay in Hong Kong by means of bogus marriages. "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 the 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 HK$150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalty.
Ends/Monday, March 26, 2007
Issued at HKT 19:09
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