SINGAPORE: A woman who was convicted of an immigration offence in 2007 was allowed to stay in the country under a special pass in order to be a prosecution witness.
However, when the time came for her to be repatriated, the woman did not show up and instead stayed in Singapore illegally for over 19 years.
Earlier this month, 68-year-old Chinese national Ding Hui Yun turned herself in to the repatriation branch of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), along with her husband.
Ding was sentenced on Wednesday (Oct 21) to six months' jail and a fine of S$2,000 (US$1,565).
If she cannot pay the fine, she will have to serve another 12 days' jail.
Ding pleaded guilty to one charge under the Immigration Act of remaining illegally in Singapore after her special pass had expired.
A second charge of failing to comply with her special pass conditions by not reporting for repatriation was taken into consideration.
THE CASE
The court heard that Ding was convicted in May 2007 under the Immigration Act for unlawful entry or presence in Singapore.
She was sentenced to four weeks' jail and a fine of S$1,500, in lieu of caning.
After serving her sentence, Ding was required to remain in Singapore as a prosecution witness for ICA.
She was issued with a special pass in June 2007 that was later extended to be valid until mid-July 2007.
However, she did not report to ICA's repatriation branch for her flight home when her pass expired.
Instead, she wanted to remain in Singapore as her family in China was in debt and she wanted to avoid her debtors, said the prosecutor.
Ding then remained in Singapore illegally for 19 years, two months and 23 days, working odd jobs.
On Oct 6 this year, she surrendered to ICA as she had no means of sustaining herself in Singapore.
The ICA prosecutor sought the maximum six months' jail for Ding, along with a fine of S$2,000 in lieu of caning.
Ding was remanded and listened to proceedings via a Mandarin interpreter.
MITIGATION
In mitigation, she said she had turned herself in along with her husband.
"I am suffering from diabetes and on account of the fact that I turned myself in, I am pleading with your honour for a lighter sentence," she said.
"My husband suffers from hypertension and I hope after we have both finished serving our sentence we will be allowed to be repatriated together so we can look after each other on our flight home."
The prosecution confirmed that Ding's husband had been scheduled to plead guilty to a similar offence on Wednesday, but he was sick.
"We note her request to be repatriated together with her husband," said the prosecutor.
Ding then added that neither she nor her husband had a passport. She also tried to ask the judge for her husband's cell number.
District Judge Janet Wang said such offences are difficult to detect and specific deterrence is warranted given Ding's pattern of reoffending.
This was her second conviction of a similar nature and the period of her illegal overstay is substantial, said Judge Wang.
Ding's husband is due to plead guilty next week, according to court records. He is accused of remaining illegally in Singapore for more than 18 years and 10 months.
For remaining illegally in Singapore after the expiry of her special pass, an offender can be jailed for up to six months and given at least three strokes of the cane.
If the person is not caned, a fine of up to S$6,000 in lieu of caning can be imposed.