Photo: Li Longji’s fiancée Wang Qingxia was sentenced to 25 months in prison yesterday for using false documents and other crimes.
[Ta Kung Pao News]Artist Lee Lung Kei’s 36-year-old fiancee, Wong Ching-Hsia, was charged with seven counts, including making false statements and using false documents to obtain an entry permit. The case was heard at the Shatin Magistrates’ Court yesterday. Wong Ching-Hsia pleaded guilty to five of the charges, and the prosecution did not provide evidence for the remaining two charges. She was sentenced to 25 months in prison by the court. Lee Lung Kei also attended the court yesterday, and the two wiped their tears with tissues from time to time in court.
The defendant, Wang Qingxia, was charged with seven offences, including two counts of breaching the conditions of stay, one count of making a false statement for the purpose of obtaining an entry permit, one count of using a false instrument, one count of possessing a false instrument, one count of making a false representation to an immigration officer lawfully acting under or for the enforcement of Part II of the Immigration Ordinance, and one count of remaining in Hong Kong to accept employment within the limit of stay imposed on her upon entry into Hong Kong. According to the charges, Wang falsely reported that she had a master’s degree and violated her conditions of stay by working at the Austin School while in Hong Kong. In addition, when she overstayed in Hong Kong for about three years, she lied to immigration officers that she had just entered from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai Bridge a few days ago.
Wong Ching-ha pleaded guilty to five of the charges, including breach of conditions of stay, using a false instrument, possessing a false instrument, making a false representation to an immigration officer lawfully acting under or for the enforcement of Part II of the Immigration Ordinance, and remaining in Hong Kong to take up employment within the limit of stay imposed on her upon entry into Hong Kong.
Li Longji cried outside the court: I will wait for her to be released from prison
After hearing the verdict, Li Longji suddenly lowered his head and cried when he left the court to answer reporters’ questions. He said that he would not consider appealing and emphasized that he would wait for Wang to be released from prison.
Acting Chief Magistrate Chan Wai-man of the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts pointed out that overstaying is rampant. If law enforcement agencies do not prosecute, it will attract more people to come to Hong Kong to work and overstay with two-way permits, affecting the jobs of Hong Kong people. Therefore, severe sentencing is necessary. She stressed that the court treats overstayers from the Mainland or even Southeast Asia equally.
The magistrate requested to see copies of the three false certificates involved in this case. The defense pleaded for leniency, saying that the certificates were of poor quality. The case showed that the Immigration Department had twice asked Wang to submit additional information for her application for the Quality Talent Scheme, but Wang ignored the instructions, which showed that she had not thought carefully when applying. The defense said that a sentence of nine months in prison was an appropriate sentence.
However, the magistrate believed that it was difficult to distinguish the authenticity of the certificate copy by just looking at it. Wang must have had access to background information to make a copy. It was obviously a carefully planned one. Taking into account Wang’s guilty plea, the nature of the charge and the case, he decided to sentence him to 25 months in prison.