Jersey Politician Caught Breaking Immigration Laws!

Jersey politician guilty of assisting unlawful immigration.

A long-serving Jersey politician is due to be sentenced early next year after admitting multiple breaches of the island’s immigration law.
Deputy Philip Ozouf appeared before Jersey’s Royal Court, where he pleaded guilty to four counts of assisting unlawful immigration and a further count of attempting to assist unlawful immigration.

The court was told that Ozouf, who owns and operates My Eco Laundry, arranged for several individuals from Rwanda to work at his business despite the fact they did not hold the legal right to do so. One of the charges also relates to an attempt to employ a Rwandan national at a private address in St Lawrence.

Ozouf, a former senior States member, has faced increasing political and public scrutiny in recent months. In September, he was suspended from the Assembly for breaching the States Members’ code of conduct.

The move followed a proposal from the Privileges and Procedures Committee, which highlighted previous offences including a speeding fine, driving without a valid insurance disc, and failing to attend three separate parish hall enquiries.

First elected to the States in November 1999, Ozouf has held several high-profile positions during his political career. These include serving as Deputy Chief Minister, Treasury and Resources Minister, and External Relations Minister. His suspension and subsequent court case mark a dramatic fall from grace for one of the island’s most prominent political figures.

At Friday’s hearing, Jersey’s Royal Court granted Ozouf conditional bail while awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for February.
He is being prosecuted alongside Roberto Lora, the director of the Savoy Hotel. Mr Lora denies two counts of assisting unlawful immigration and two counts of attempting to assist unlawful immigration.
His case is set to go to trial before the Inferior Number, with proceedings scheduled to begin on 26 January and expected to last five days.

The case has drawn significant attention locally, both because of Ozouf’s senior political background and because it highlights ongoing concerns about illegal employment practices on the island.