Sex worker jailed, fined for overstaying in S’pore for 3 years through forged entry stamps

SINGAPORE — A Chinese national was sentenced to 14 months’ jail and a fine of S$2,000 on Thursday (Nov 5) for using 19 fake entry stamps in her passport to overstay in Singapore.

Chen Bichun, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully remaining in Singapore for three years and four months after her social visit pass expired. 

She also admitted to possessing forged documents.

The court head that Chen worked as a freelance prostitute providing sexual services.

In early 2016, she paid an agent in China to find a job for her as a performing artiste in a bar here. 

When the agent told her that her work permit application was successful, Chen made her way to Singapore on March 4 that year. 

She was allowed to remain here for two weeks on a social visit pass.

She met a friend, identified only as Li Jiao, who told her that she did not need to work in the occupation stated on her work permit application.

Li Jiao said that she could extend Chen’s stay here through illegal means. 

Chen agreed to pay her S$200 for each two-month extension.

Sometime in April 2017, the police officers arrested Li Jiao and she was repatriated to China. 

An unidentified person later used a private contact number to contact Chen directly for the extensions.

Chen was ultimately arrested on July 23 last year when a group of officers raided a room at Balestier Hotel.

She admitted to the officers that she provided sexual services. 

Court documents showed that she also had a forged application for an extension of her short-term visit pass in her passport.

Further screenings revealed that she had overstayed for three years, four months and six days in Singapore.

She will begin serving her sentence on Nov 19 and remains out on bail.

For unlawfully remaining here for more than 90 days, she could have been jailed up to six months and fined up to S$6,000. The offence carries the possibility of caning but women cannot be caned under the law.

For possessing forged documents purportedly made by a public servant, she could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined.