SINGAPORE: A 64-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to 11 months’ jail for arranging a sham marriage between a Singaporean man and a woman from China.
Lim Peng Boon was also fined S$8,000, which in default is two months’ jail.
According to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a news release on Monday (Jul 29), the Chinese national, 40-year-old Zheng Guiling, was on a 30-day Visit Pass when she was introduced to Lim through a friend in September 2014.
When Zheng told him that she wanted to stay and work in Singapore, Lim offered to help her find a local man to enter into a marriage of convenience.
Lim told Zheng to pay S$8,000 for the arrangements, of which S$6,000 would be given to her prospective husband.
Both Zheng Guiling and Loh Chee Wai were arrested by ICA officers on May 30. (Photos: ICA)
Later that month, Lim introduced Zheng to 54-year-old Singaporean Loh Chee Wai, who agreed to the sham marriage.
The couple solemnised their marriage on Oct 22, 2014.
Zheng paid the S$8,000 to Lim, who in turn gave S$3,000 to Loh. He told Loh that the remaining S$3,000 would be paid by Zheng in instalments.
Loh and Zheng were arrested by ICA officers on May 30 last year, and sentenced to six months’ jail each.
Lim was arrested on Jan 14, 2019.
“ICA takes a serious view of individuals trying to circumvent our system by engaging in or arranging/assisting to arrange marriages of convenience to obtain immigration facilities in Singapore,” said the agency.
A sham marriage, or marriage of convenience, is a ruse to help foreigners enter Singapore or extend their stay here. The act was criminalised in 2012.
Those convicted may be fined up to S$10,000 and jailed a maximum of 10 years.
