Former council leader jailed for misconduct in a public office

A former council leader has been found guilty of four counts of misconduct in public office over the purchase of properties.

Cllr Maurice James Alexander Ezekiel, 59, also known as Sandy Ezekiel, was sentenced to 18 months in prison following a 10-day trial at Maidstone Crown Court. He had denied the charges.

Ezekiel’s friend and co-defendant Philip Emanuel, 64, was found guilty of aiding and abetting fraud by abuse of position. He was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

The case centred on properties in King Street, Margate. In September 2009, Ezekiel asked Emanuel, 64, to purchase 12b, which was owned by Thanet District Council, on his behalf.

In the run up to Emanuel placing an offer, Ezekiel had asked Thanet’s Asset Manager to keep him informed about any bids for the two-bedroom, semi-detached cottage. He did not, however, reveal his interest in the building.

An offer of £125,001 from Emanuel was accepted in October 2009 and the ownership transferred to him in March 2010. The following month saw a tenant take up occupancy of 12b, with the monthly rental payments being paid into a bank account belonging to Ezekiel.

Ownership of 12b was eventually transferred from Emanuel to Ezekiel in November 2010, but no money changed hands between them.

In mid-2009, Ezekiel had also made enquiries with council officers regarding the contact details of the owner of 12a King Street with a view to Emanuel purchasing the property– a derelict shop next to 12b.

Ezekiel contacted Thanet’s planning enforcement department and asked it to take action against the owners of 12a unless the property was sufficiently renovated.

The department subsequently gave the owners of 12a a month to improve the appearance of the derelict shop. Failing that, an order would be served which would require work to be done to improve the property or the council would undertake the work and invoice the owner for it.

The owners of 12a discussed the issue with council representatives and it was decided the situation could be resolved if the owner of 12b – Emanuel – was willing to purchase the property.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Emanuel bought 12a in February 2010 using funds provided by Ezekiel. He then transferred its ownership to Ezekiel in February 2011.

Following the guilty verdicts, Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Adrian Brown from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “Ezekiel abused his position of power and trust in a public office to wrongly put pressure on the owners of 12a King Street to sell in an already stressful economic climate.

“This came after he had already deceived his own council, of which he was meant to be the leader, by getting his close long-standing friend Philip Emanuel to purchase 12b King Street on his behalf. I’m pleased they have both answered the justice system and this sends out a strong message to anyone thinking of misusing their power that they will be investigated and pursued to the full extent of the law.”