A Mainland visitor was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment at Western Court today (Tuesday) for offering a $4,000 bribe to a Senior Immigration Officer when he attended an interview on his right of abode application.

Ng Lat, 30, was earlier found guilty of one court of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(c) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

The court heard that Ng was a Mainland resident whose parents were permanent residents of Hong Kong.

Ng arrived in Hong Kong as a visitor on June 22, 1999 with a "two-way permit".

He was allowed to remain in Hong Kong until further notice, pending the result of his appeal to the Court of Final Appeal regarding his right of abode claim.

Ng was required to report to the Immigration Department once every month.

In the afternoon of July 13 last year, Ng attended an interview at the Immigration Department in connection with his application for right of abode in Hong Kong.

An Immigration Assistant was assigned to interview Ng. When the officer reviewed the documents submitted by Ng earlier, she found a wad of banknotes placed inside the papers.

Immediately after the interview, the officer reported the incident to her supervisors.

Another Senior Immigration Officer was assigned to interview Ng again in a bid to clarify the matter.

During the interview, Ng suddenly stood up and tried to insert a wad of banknotes into the senior officer's pocket.

When the senior officer asked Ng what he was trying to do, Ng replied that "please do me a favour".

The senior officer seized the banknotes which were found to consist of $4,000.

The Immigration Department referred the case to the ICAC.

The prosecution was today represented by Bina Dayaram Sujanani on a fiat, assisted by ICAC officer Wendy Tse.