Guangxi woman detained for impersonating an official

A woman in Fangchenggang, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has been placed under five-day administrative detention after using her husband's official credentials during a road dispute, according to local police on Wednesday.

The woman, surnamed Hou, was penalized under Article 51 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, which prohibits impersonating State officials or using false identities for personal gain, and was placed under administrative detention from Aug 5 to 10, according to a statement from the regional police.

The incident occurred on July 22 near Fangcheng district in the city of Fangchenggang, where Hou became involved in a dispute with another driver with the surname of Li. She presented an administrative law enforcement certificate during the argument, demanding that Li yield the right of way.

The case attracted widespread attention online, prompting a police investigation. Authorities confirmed on Aug 3 that Hou was not a public official but an enterprise employee, and that the certificate belonged to her husband.

Hou's actions were found to violate the administration punishments law, which states that impersonating State officials or using other false identities to obtain benefits fraudulently carries five to 10 days' detention, with possible fines of up to 500 yuan ($70).

The driver Li said the incident had ended, adding that Hou had apologized and he accepted it on Aug 3, according to ThePaper.cn, a domestic news portal.