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The licensee and a staff member of an employment agency involved in arranging false contracts for foreign domestic helpers were sentenced to three years and eight months' and one year and 10 months' imprisonment respectively at the District Court today (May 18).
The first defendant, a 52-year-old female foreign domestic helper who worked illegally as a staff member of the employment agency, pleaded guilty to a charge of breach of condition of stay and a charge of conspiracy to defraud. She was sentenced to imprisonment for two months for breach of condition of stay and one year and nine months for conspiracy to defraud, with one month of the sentences to run consecutively, making a total of one year and 10 months' imprisonment.
The second defendant, a 30-year-old female Hong Kong permanent resident, was the licensee of the employment agency. She was charged with one count of aiding and abetting the first defendant to breach her condition of stay, one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of conspiracy to make false representation to an Immigration Officer. The second defendant was convicted after trial and was sentenced to imprisonment for three months for the first charge, and three years and six months for both second and third charges. While the sentences for the second and third charges run concurrently, two months of the sentence for the first charge run consecutively with the second and third charges, making a total of three years and eight months' imprisonment.
Since May 2011, the Immigration Department had spotted several suspicious demand notices for salaries tax submitted for foreign domestic helper visa applications through an employment agency. In-depth investigation into the employment agency concerned was conducted. On August 22, 2011, investigation officers raided the employment agency and apprehended the two defendants. During the operation, a substantial number of suspected forged documents were seized, including copies of forged demand notices for salaries tax and originals and copies of forged electricity and water bills.
"It is an offence to make false representation to an Immigration Officer. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. Besides that, any person convicted of the offence of conspiracy to defraud shall be liable to maximum imprisonment for 14 years," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
The spokesman also stressed that foreign domestic helpers should only take up employment as a domestic helper and reside at the contractual address as stipulated in their contract, as approved by the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for two years. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution.
Ends/Friday, May 18, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:22
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