Wednesday 26th September 2018

The Charity Commission has announced its appointment of Jonathan Burchfield, partner at national law firm Stone King, as an Interim Manager to the Fazal Ellahi Charitable Trust due to misconduct and management at the charity.

The Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity on 16 April 2018 to look into a number of concerns including the use of the charity’s premises to support or condone terrorism.

The investigation was opened following the conviction of the charity’s Imam for six counts of encouragement of terrorism, and two counts of encouraging support for a proscribed organisation. The Commission also had concerns regarding the management and administration of the charity by its trustees and their failure to evidence their compliance with the charity’s governing document and other charity law duties.

As a result the Commission made an order, on 7 August 2018, under section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act 2011 to appoint Jonathan as interim manager of the charity.  He has taken over the management and administration of the charity to the exclusion of the charity’s trustees.

This is the third time that Jonathan has been appointed Interim Manager. He says: “We appreciate the confidence that the Charity Commission has shown in Stone King by appointing me and our team led by my partner Tom Murdoch. We immediately began our work in August, according to the Commission’s brief.”

The Charity Commission’s investigation continues and the Commission’s full statement can be viewed online.

 

For media enquiries please contact

Samantha Walker
01225 478180
SamanthaWalker@stoneking.co.uk