A fireman has been sentenced to 120 hours' community service for helping and encouraging a foreign domestic helper to lie to an Immigration Officer.

Lai Wai-tak, 33, and his former girlfriend Yu Yuk-wan, 31, last month pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting a false representation to an Immigration Officer.

The Sha Tin Magistrate's Court heard that Siswanti, an Indonesian domestic helper, was stopped at the airport last August for overstaying in Hong Kong. She provided Yu's telephone number, but officers learned Yu was not the contractual employer.

Employment visa expired in 2004

Siswanti had first entered Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper in 2000 and was approved to work for an employer until 2004.

Before her employment visa expired, Yu promised to hire her as her domestic helper, but told her Lai would be her nominal employer.

With the supporting documents in the name of Lai, Siswanti applied for a change of employment in 2004. Approval was given for her to work for Lai at an address in To Kwa Wan, but she was working for Yu in Sai Ying Pun. The helper had never met Lai.

In June, 2005, the Immigration Department asked Lai to pay an overdue levy payment for Siswanti. Lai said he had prematurely terminated the helper's employment in December, 2004, and a letter Lai had signed was later received. 

Never worked for contractual employer

Officers learned Lai and Yu had intended to marry but had separated. Lai agreed to hire a domestic helper for Yu and had all along paid for the helper, but the helper had never worked for him.