Back to top
Singaporean Man Jailed For Entering Into A Marriage Of Convenience
A 36-year-old Singapore citizen was sentenced to six months imprisonment for entering into a sham marriage with a Sri Lanka national. Suresh Ananthan s/o Chandran was introduced to 23-year old Dematagoda Kankanamalage Ayesha Rathnamalie through a friend in April 2013. A month later, Ayesha asked Suresh if he was interested to enter into a marriage of convenience (MOC) with her for three years and be paid $4,000. In return, Suresh has to sponsor her Visit Pass applications to stay in Singapore so that she could eventually become a Singapore Permanent Resident.
2. Suresh agreed to the proposed arrangement as he was in financial difficulties. However, Ayesha later told Suresh that she was unable to pay him $4,000 and would instead, assist him to obtain the licence of a food stall known as “Curry Espresso”. Suresh accepted the deal and told Ayesha to proceed with the ‘marriage’ plans.
3. On 23 June 2013, Suresh and Ayesha solemnized their marriage in the community area of a housing estate in Teban Gardens Road. After the solemnization ceremony, Ayesha arranged for Suresh to sign the transfer agreement of “Curry Espresso” stall licence with the owner, one Mdm Lim. Suresh had thus entered into a marriage of convenience with Ayesha, knowing that the purpose of the marriage was to assist Ayesha to obtain immigration advantage in the form of a Visit Pass and he has received gratification in the form of a food stall licence.
4. In November 2014, Suresh was arrested by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers for engaging in a marriage of convenience. He was convicted of the offence and sentenced to six months imprisonment on 14 March 2016. Ayesha had since left Singapore on 28 July 2013.
Suresh Ananthan s/o Chandran jailed for MOC
5. ICA takes a serious view of individuals trying to circumvent our system by engaging in sham marriages to obtain immigration facilities in Singapore. In August 2012, a specific provision of the Immigration Act, Section 57C, to criminalise marriage of convenience was introduced to enable ICA to definitively deal with those who try to abuse the system. This applies to those who have contracted/entered into marriage of convenience or those who have arranged or assisted in arranging such marriages on or after 19 December 2012. The penalties for the offence are a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
22 March 2016
2. Suresh agreed to the proposed arrangement as he was in financial difficulties. However, Ayesha later told Suresh that she was unable to pay him $4,000 and would instead, assist him to obtain the licence of a food stall known as “Curry Espresso”. Suresh accepted the deal and told Ayesha to proceed with the ‘marriage’ plans.
3. On 23 June 2013, Suresh and Ayesha solemnized their marriage in the community area of a housing estate in Teban Gardens Road. After the solemnization ceremony, Ayesha arranged for Suresh to sign the transfer agreement of “Curry Espresso” stall licence with the owner, one Mdm Lim. Suresh had thus entered into a marriage of convenience with Ayesha, knowing that the purpose of the marriage was to assist Ayesha to obtain immigration advantage in the form of a Visit Pass and he has received gratification in the form of a food stall licence.
4. In November 2014, Suresh was arrested by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers for engaging in a marriage of convenience. He was convicted of the offence and sentenced to six months imprisonment on 14 March 2016. Ayesha had since left Singapore on 28 July 2013.
Suresh Ananthan s/o Chandran jailed for MOC
5. ICA takes a serious view of individuals trying to circumvent our system by engaging in sham marriages to obtain immigration facilities in Singapore. In August 2012, a specific provision of the Immigration Act, Section 57C, to criminalise marriage of convenience was introduced to enable ICA to definitively deal with those who try to abuse the system. This applies to those who have contracted/entered into marriage of convenience or those who have arranged or assisted in arranging such marriages on or after 19 December 2012. The penalties for the offence are a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
22 March 2016