Two Singaporean men jailed for arranging sham marriage
Two 38-year-old men were jailed this month for arranging a marriage of convenience between a fellow Singaporean and a woman from China.
A press release yesterday from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said that in 2015, Choo Yong Sheng was introduced to Zhang Fengyu, 42, a China national holding a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) under the "study mama" scheme.
She wanted to remain in Singapore and Choo offered to help extend her stay here by arranging for her to enter into a sham marriage with a Singaporean man.
Choo asked Zhang for a payment of $18,000 and received a deposit of $3,000 from her.
The other man, Yap Junlian Eddie, recruited Ng Wei Keong Jason, 44, to enter into a sham marriage with Zhang and promised him a reward of $8,000.
After the couple solemnised their marriage on July 11, 2016, Zhang paid Yap $10,000 and said she would pay the balance of $5,000 after she had successfully obtained an LTVP under the sponsorship of her Singaporean spouse.
On March 16, 2017, officers from the ICA arrested the couple for entering into a sham marriage.
Ng was jailed for six months on Aug 1, 2017, and Zhang was jailed for three months on March 2, 2018.
ICA officers arrested Yap on July 26, 2018, and Choo on Jan 30 last year, for arranging the marriage.
Yap was jailed for 32 weeks and fined $2,000 with another eight days' imprisonment in default.
Choo was jailed for 32 weeks and fined $3,000 with another 12 days' imprisonment in default.
Choo was also sentenced to another 12 weeks' imprisonment for voluntarily causing hurt to police officers in a dispute unrelated to this case.
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