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SCMP Reporter

A MAN brought women to Hong Kong to work as prostitutes and paid men $22,000 to marry them so they could keep working for him, the District Court heard yesterday.

  Cheng Chun-choi, 45, pleaded not guilty to four charges of taking part in trafficking four women for prostitution between 1991 and 1992 and living off the earnings of prostitution.

  Prosecutor Rupert Spicer said when he was arrested in 1993, Cheng admitted arranging to traffic the women - from the Philippines - with another man, who was responsible for recruiting them.

  The prosecution said Cheng received $55 out of every $240 from customers, and the women had to see 600 to 1,000 customers before they were allowed to leave.

  Cheng also arranged bogus marriages to allow the women to stay - the money he paid intended husbands would be deducted from the earnings of the women when they left Hong Kong, the court was told.

  Giving evidence, one husband denied any knowledge of Cheng, saying he was introduced to Gina Carpon by his boss Tong Man-chan.

  Kwok Chun-fai said: 'I liked her therefore I married her. We had been together for quite some time and Tong suggested marriage.'   On January 15, 1991, he married Ms Carpon at the San Po Kong registry office. Mr Spicer said he also met the defendant there.

  The prosecution said Mr Kwok was paid $20,000 to marry Ms Carpon, of which $6,000 was paid to Mr Tong.

  The prosecution asked Mr Kwok if he had married Ms Carpon so she could stay and work as a prostitute, to which he replied that it was a proper marriage, with 'all the proper procedures'. The trial continues.



Man denies prostitution scam