Two local women were arrested on Monday for involvement in a sham marriage, and one of them had been arrested previously for her involvement in another sham marriage, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Kam Ka Kit announced at a press briefing on Monday.
The two suspects are a 39-year-old surnamed Ho and 48-year-old surnamed Chang. They are local residents, and both claimed to be unemployed.
According to Law No. 16/2021, Article 78, anyone who simulates a marriage for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit or special permit to stay in Macau, whether for him or herself or someone else, faces a prison term of between two and eight years.
Kam said that Ho was arrested for involvement in a sham marriage in February 2015. She got divorced later that year.
Kam noted that Ho is the “wife” in the latest case. Ho married her “husband” in Zhuhai in 2017 to assist him in applying for the right of abode in Macau. The Identification Services Bureau (DSI) had doubts about the marriage and therefore referred the case to the Public Security Police for follow-up investigation, according to Kam.
Kam indicated that PSP officers went to Ho’s residence near the Barrier Gate last Thursday for investigation, adding that under questioning Ho admitted her involvement in the sham marriage.
Furthermore, Kam said Ho acknowledged that she married her “husband” for financial reasons, adding that she was introduced to her “husband” by the other female suspect.
Kam said that on various occasions the “husband” transferred between 200 and 2,000 yuan to Ho, totalling more than 10,000 yuan. However, Kam said, the exact amount that she received from her “husband” was unclear.
The other female suspect (Chang), who acted as an intermediary in the case, is the sister of the “husband”. The “husband” was still on the run at the time of the press conference, Kam said, adding that he was believed to be in the mainland.
According to Kam, the second female suspect denied any criminal involvement in the case and insisted that she merely “introduced” her brother to Ho. She also claimed that she had not received any money for her “intermediary” role.
The Public Security Police transferred the case to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) last Friday.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) on Monday shows PSP officers escorting the sham marriage suspects to a police station.
