Welder jailed for illegally hiring worker

A WELDER from Nicosia has been jailed for four months for hiring an illegal worker to help him at his workshop.

The Nicosia Court decision comes in the light of a new ruling calling for harsher sentences for people hiring illegal workers – a growing phenomenon on the island according to statistics from the Labour Ministry.

Pieris Fysentzou from Yeri had pleaded guilty to hiring a foreign worker without having the written consent or permit from the Immigration Services on November 9.

His worker, Syrian asylum seeker Ibrahim Bassem, was also found guilty of working without the written consent or permit from the Immigration Services and jailed for one month.

Upon his arrest, Fysentzou had told officers “Do what you have to do guys but just know that I can’t find workers. What am I supposed to do?”

He later told investigators that he had hired Bassem on a trial basis and that they had not yet arranged a deal regarding any possible payment.

Pleading mitigation, Fysentzou’s defence lawyer said that his client was unaware that political asylum seekers needed work permits from the government.

He also said that Fysentzou was married, had three children and that both he and his wife had lots of debts because he earned around £700 per month while his wife earned around £500 per month.

Sentencing Fysentzou yesterday, Judge Alexandros Panayiotou said that despite taking into consideration the mitigation pleas from the defence, “the only suitable punishment that would do justice for the crime is that of instant imprisonment”.

Judge Panayiotou then jailed Fysentzou and Bassem to four months and one month respectively, with both defendants to be jailed immediately.

There were emotional scenes following the judge’s decision as Fysentzou’s wife ran out of the courtroom crying. She then fainted and fell to the floor but was soon resuscitated by nearby officers.