An east London councillor has been charged with perverting the course of justice after allegedly attempting to persuade a 16-year-old girl to withdraw her rape allegation.

Abdul Malik, 50, who represents the Blackwall and Cubitt Town ward on Tower Hamlets Council, was scheduled to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday to face the charge for the first time.

It is alleged that he contacted the father of the teenage complainant on January 23, urging him to convince his daughter to drop the charges against the accused and secure his release from custody, an action deemed to have the potential to obstruct public justice.

Two other individuals, the father and aunt of the suspected rapist, are also accused of intervening earlier in the month.

Abdul Roqib, 45, is alleged to have contacted the teenager on January 10, asking her to withdraw the charges against his son, while Rahela Begum, 41, is also accused of approaching the girl the same day with a similar request.

All three defendants are facing charges of committing an act or series of acts with the intent to pervert the course of public justice and are due to appear in court.

Malik, a councillor for the Aspire Party—led by Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman—currently serves as chair of the Human Resources Committee and is also a member of the licensing committee. He was first elected in 2022.

Malik, of Mercury Walk, Tower Hamlets, along with Roqib, of Warrior Square, Manor Park, and Begum, of Rye Road, Hoddesdon, were reportedly held in custody ahead of their court appearance.

Source: Evening Standard