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The Immigration Department said today (December 11) that a Hong Kong resident, who illegally transferred her passport and committed an offence of conspiracy, among other offences, was sentenced to jail.
The 55-year-old female defendant, Tse Choi-ying, pleaded guilty at the Sha Tin Magistrates' Court on December 10 to one count of "transfer to another without reasonable excuse a travel document", "making false statement upon Hong Kong Special Administration (HKSAR) passport application", "conspiracy to obtain services by deception", and two counts of "conspiracy to defraud in respect of sham marriages". She was jailed for 27 months.
The court said that the defendant sold her HKSAR passport to a middleman on August 30, 2006, for $700. She also conspired with the man to obtain a boarding pass for a flight to London by deceiving the airline and later transferred that boarding pass to another person.
In order to conceal her illegal act, Tse falsely stated in her application for a replacement passport in July 2008 that she had lost her passport.
During the investigation, Tse further admitted to having registered two marriages for convenience with two Mainland residents to allow each to enter Hong Kong on the pretence of visiting his wife in 1996 and 2004 respectively.
"Under the laws of Hong Kong, it is an offence to transfer any travel document to another person without reasonable excuse. Anyone who furnishes false particulars to obtain a travel document commits an offence. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty will be a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years," the spokesman said.
Anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years.
Ends/Thursday, December 11, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:52
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