Gavel law and balance law many book legel Law Legel concept (Photo by pr_camera from Shutterstock.com

A 42-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced on Friday (18 January) to a total of eighteen months’ imprisonment and a fine of S$13,000 in default three months’ imprisonment for offences under the Immigration Act.

Tan Chuen Zin was arrested in March 2017. He was convicted for arranging two cases of marriage of convenience (MOC) between Singaporean men and Vietnamese women as well as harbouring the Vietnamese women despite knowing that they had contravened the Immigration Act.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) also said that Tan also had other charges for abetting the Singaporean men in making false statements in the Visit Pass applications for the Vietnamese women and arranging another MOC involving also a Singaporean man and Vietnamese woman.

These charges were taken into consideration in the sentencing, it noted.

In May 2016, David Sim, a 52-year-old Singaporean man approached Tan for job recommendations as he was in financial difficulties.

Tan then asked Sim if he was interested to enter into an MOC in which Tan assured that Sim did not have to fulfil any marital obligations but was required to sponsor a Vietnamese national’s Visit Pass applications.

In return, Sim would be paid a sum of S$4,000 and S$300 for every successful Visit Pass sponsorship. Sim were then agreed to the proposal.

In July 2016, 24-year-old Vietnamese woman, Tran Thuy Bich Tran approached Tan for advice to remain in Singapore as her work permit was due to expire.

Tan then suggested to Tran to enter into an MOC, and Tran would have to pay S$9,000 for the sham marriage arrangements and thereafter S$300 for every successful Visit Pass extension.

In the same month, Tan arranged for Sim and Tran to meet each other and in November 2016, they solemnised their “marriage” at a restaurant arranged by Tan.

Tran paid S$9,000 to Tan and Tan gave S$4,000 to Sim as a reward for entering into the MOC. Tran did not live with Sim but stayed in Tan’s apartment and paid him S$530 monthly rental.

On 20 February 2017, Sim and Tran were arrested by officers from ICA and were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment each in March and April 2017 respectively for the MOC and offences of making false statement in the Visit Pass applications.

Another case took time in May 2016, when a 27-year-old Singaporean man, Tan Jian You told the older Tan (Tan Chuen Zin) that he was facing financial difficulties and the latter suggested that he enter into an MOC for a reward of S$1,500.

The younger Tan was told that he did not have to fulfil any marital obligations but would need to sponsor 23-year-old Vietnamese woman, Vo Thi Diem Kieu’s Visit Pass applications for her to remain in Singapore.

According to the authority, in July 2016, the older Tan arranged for Vo and the younger Tan to meet each other and subsequently in November 2016, they solemnised their “marriage” at a restaurant arranged by the older Tan.

Vo paid the older Tan a total of S$9,000 after the solemnisation. In turn, the older Tan paid the younger Tan S$1,500 as a reward for entering into an MOC.

Vo did not live with the younger Tan but stayed in the older Tan’s apartment and paid him a monthly rental of S$530.

On 20 February 2017, Vo and the younger Tan were also arrested by ICA officers. Vo and the younger Tan were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment each in March and April 2017 respectively for the MOC offence.

ICA stressed that it 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.

The penalties for the offence are a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Former PAP MP appointed as Deputy Attorney-General with effect from 1 March

The President has appointed Mr Hri Kumar Nair S.C. as a Deputy…

Singapore fines UBS $8 mn for deceptive trades

Singapore has fined Swiss banking giant UBS Sg$11.2 million ($8 million) after…