SINGAPORE, Oct 21 — A Chinese woman allowed to stay in Singapore as a prosecution witness instead spent the next 19 years living there illegally, working odd jobs until she ran out of money and surrendered to immigration authorities.

Ding Hui Yun, 68, was supposed to return to China in 2007 after her special pass expired but failed to report for repatriation, remaining in Singapore for nearly two decades.

Her extraordinary overstay ended on October 6 when she turned herself in alongside her husband, who is also accused of living illegally in Singapore for almost as long.

Ding was sentenced today to six months in jail and fined S$2,000 (RM6,385) after pleading guilty to overstaying her special pass, according to Singapore-based news organisation CNA.

The court heard that Ding was first convicted of an immigration offence in May 2007 and sentenced to four weeks in jail and a S$1,500 fine in lieu of caning.

After serving her sentence, she was required to remain in Singapore as a prosecution witness for the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

She was issued a special pass in June 2007, subsequently extended until mid-July that year.

However, instead of reporting for repatriation when the pass expired, Ding stayed on.

Prosecutors said she wanted to avoid returning to China because her family was in debt and she feared facing her creditors.

For the next 19 years, two months and 23 days, she remained in Singapore illegally, supporting herself through odd jobs.

It was only when she could no longer make ends meet that she surrendered.

Appearing in court through a Mandarin interpreter, Ding pleaded for leniency, citing her poor health and voluntary surrender.

“I am suffering from diabetes and on account of the fact that I turned myself in, I am pleading with your honour for a lighter sentence,” she said.

She also appealed to be sent back to China with her husband, who suffers from hypertension.

“My husband suffers from hypertension and I hope after we have both finished serving our sentence we will be allowed to be repatriated together so we can look after each other on our flight home.”

The prosecution confirmed that her husband had been due to plead guilty to a similar offence today but was unable to attend court because he was ill.

“We note her request to be repatriated together with her husband,” the prosecutor said.

Ding also revealed that neither she nor her husband had a passport and asked the judge for her husband’s mobile phone number.

But District Judge Janet Wang rejected her plea for a lighter sentence, noting that such immigration offences were difficult to detect and warranted deterrent punishment.

The judge pointed out that Ding was a repeat offender and that her illegal stay was substantial.

Her husband is expected to plead guilty next week to a charge of remaining illegally in Singapore for more than 18 years and 10 months.

Ding received the maximum six-month jail term and a S$2,000 fine in lieu of caning. She faces another 12 days behind bars if she fails to pay the fine.