The three Chinese men who were in July held with more than 400 credit cards and skimming devices were today sentenced to nine months in prison.
Parish Judge Simone Wolfe Reece, who handed down the sentence in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, also indicated that she will recommend that the men be deported at the end of their sentence.
The three, Jianping Zhong, Fulin Zhong and Shanghai Guo, had pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property and possession of data devices, all breaches of the Cybercrimes Act.
They were each sentenced to nine months in prison for each of the offences.
Wolfe Reece also imposed a fine of $250,000 or six months in prison for the offence of possession of criminal property.
The sentences will run at the same time and so the men will only be in prison for nine months.
They were arrested in July after they were found in possession of cash, bank cards and electronic skimming devices at a shopping mall in St Andrew.
According to prosecutor Andrea Martin Swaby, investigations led the police to a house also in St Andrew where more than 400 bank cards, J$5.6 million, US$5,600 and a number of electronic devices were seized.
Wolfe Reece said in deciding on the sentence, she took into account, among other things, the circumstances of the offence.
Nine mths really.what would be the sentence for a Jamaican or a black man who did that in China.
This sentence is too lenient for the offence that these men were convicted for and the attorney general should appeal both sentence and the fine that this judge handed down.
The reason she gave for the leniency was not merited , men having families; the condition of the prison …etc. these reason should have been her least concern. These men went to a foreign country and committed a crime where they should be aware that should they be caught they would suffer the consequence, hard labour in prison fitting the crime.
Instead , this judge and her reasoning told them it is ok to come to our country and commit a crime and because they are not native to the country, they should not experience the prison system that our locals have to do when they are convicted of sn offence. In other words , she rewarded them for their behaviour. Shame on you Patish judge.
One question I would like to ask, do you think that if it was a citizen from any other country that had went to china and committed an offence as such the Chinese judicial system would have taken the consideration that this judge took in account? No way!!!!! And they would be right not to do so.
This is sending a message that it is ok to go to Jamaica and commit an offence and because you are a foreigner the judicial system will be lenient .
It is sad , but this decision has sent a wrong message and it shows the mentality of the persons who are in charge of our justice system . SHAME