- Joined
- Jul 14, 2008
- Messages
- 222
- Points
- 0
Man has sham marriage for $1,700
The New Paper
SINGAPORE - He told the media and the police that his marriage was ruined by someone who stole his identity to marry a foreigner.
But groom-to-be Mohamad Norizuan Shazali, 26, was the one who had married the foreigner, all for $1,700.
He denied it to the police when his intended marriage to his fiancee, Miss Sharafana Mohamad Shariff, 18, fell through.
Norizuan acted the innocent, even telling the media that someone had stolen his identity.
In court yesterday, Norizuan came clean and pleaded guilty to one count of providing false information to the police and one count of mischief. Another charge of criminal breach of trust was taken into consideration.
FALSE INFORMATION
He made the news in February when he told The New Paper that he was unable to get married because someone had used his lost IC in a sham marriage.
Records at the Registry of Muslim Marriages had shown that a man with his name and IC had married a woman from India in 2012.
He then made a police report at Kampong Java Neighbourhood Police Centre, telling Special Constabulary Sergeant Muhammad Irsyad Khalis Daud that someone had used his identity to register a civil marriage without his knowledge.
He was warned of the consequences of lodging a false police report, but Norizuan affirmed his statement to be true.
Investigations later revealed that he had known of and taken part in the marriage ceremony.
The court heard that Norizuan had done it because he was in need of money in 2012.
He met an acquaintance and was offered $1,700 to register a sham marriage with a foreigner.
On July 16 that year, he provided his personal particulars and applied for a civil marriage with a foreign woman.
About a month later, he met the acquaintance and a Ms Chauhan Swaran Lata to register his marriage to her at the Registry of Marriages.
They solemnised their marriage in Banana Leaf Apolo restaurant at Race Course Road later that day.
Three others - a licensed solemniser and two women - witnessed the ceremony.
They were also witnesses in the court case.
MISCHIEF
Norizuan was charged with mischief for punching the windscreen of an SBS Transit bus in September 2013, causing $2,100 in damage.
He had been driving a lorry towards the bus at Moonbeam Walk but could not pass as there were vehicles parked at the side of the road.
Norizuan then got out and confronted the bus driver. In his anger, he punched the windscreen causing it to crack.
In mitigation, Norizuan asked for leniency.
"My (fiancee) is pregnant again, and I have a 10-month-old daughter. I regret what I have done," he said. He asked the judge to allow him "to kiss my daughter".
Miss Sharafana and their young daughter, as well as Norizuan's family, were in court.
District Judge Toh Yung Cheong replied that he could only grant permission for them to speak to each other as there were rules regarding contact between visitors and accused persons.
Norizuan was later seen walking out of court with his family and Miss Sharafana. They declined to be interviewed.
The case will be heard again next Wednesday for sentencing.
For giving false information, he faces a maximum sentence of six months' jail and $1,000 fine.
For mischief, the maximum sentence is two years' jail and a fine.
