Woman who stayed illegally in Singapore for 19 years surrenders with husband, gets jail

On Oct 6 this year, the 68-year-old woman surrendered to ICA as she had no means of sustaining herself in Singapore.

File photo of the State Courts in Singapore.

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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 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.

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.

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今年10月6日，这名68岁的妇女向移民与关卡局自首，因为她在新加坡没有谋生手段。

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新加坡：一名女子因2007年的移民罪行被定罪，但她获准以特别通行证的形式留在该国，作为控方证人。

然而，到了她应该被遣返的时候，这名女子却没有出现，而是在新加坡非法滞留了 19 年多。

本月初，68岁的中国公民丁慧云和她的丈夫一起向移民与关卡局（ICA）遣返部门自首。

丁某于周三（10 月 21 日）被判处六个月监禁，并处罚金 2000 新元（1565 美元）。

如果她无法缴纳罚款，她将不得不再服刑12天。

丁承认违反《移民法》的一项指控，即在特别通行证过期后非法滞留在新加坡。

第二项指控是她未按规定遵守特殊通行证条件，未按时报到遣返，该指控也被纳入考虑范围。

法庭获悉，丁某于 2007 年 5 月因违反《移民法》非法入境或滞留新加坡而被定罪。

她被判处四周监禁和罚款1500新元，以代替鞭刑。

丁女士服刑期满后，被要求留在新加坡，作为移民与关卡局的控方证人。

2007 年 6 月，她获得了一张特别通行证，后来有效期延长至 2007 年 7 月中旬。

然而，当她的通行证到期时，她并没有向移民与关卡局遣返部门报到，等待回国的航班。

检察官说，她之所以想留在新加坡，是因为她在中国的家人负债累累，她想躲避债主。

丁某随后非法滞留在新加坡 19 年 2 个月零 23 天，靠打零工为生。

今年10月6日，她向新加坡移民与关卡局自首，因为她没有在新加坡维持生计的手段。

移民与关卡局检察官要求判处丁某最高六个月监禁，并处以 2000 新元罚款以代替鞭刑。

丁某被还押候审，并通过普通话翻译旁听了庭审。

她辩称，自己和丈夫是主动投案自首的。

“我患有糖尿病，而且由于我是自首的，我恳请法官大人从轻发落，”她说。

“我丈夫患有高血压，我希望我们服刑期满后能够一起遣返回国，这样我们就可以在回家的航班上互相照顾。”

检方证实，丁某的丈夫原定于周三对类似罪行认罪，但他生病了。

检察官说：“我们注意到她要求与丈夫一起遣返回国。”

丁女士随后补充说，她和丈夫都没有护照。她还试图向法官索要她丈夫的手机号码。

地方法官珍妮特·王表示，此类犯罪难以发现，鉴于丁某的再犯模式，有必要采取特别的威慑措施。

王法官表示，这是她第二次因类似罪行被定罪，而且她非法逾期居留的时间相当长。

根据法庭记录，丁某的丈夫将于下周认罪。他被控在新加坡非法居留超过18年10个月。

持有特别通行证后仍非法滞留在新加坡的违法者，可被判处最高六个月监禁，并处以至少三下鞭刑。

如果未对当事人处以鞭刑，则可处以最高 6,000 新元的罚款以代替鞭刑。

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