ACCUSED COUNCILLOR VOWS TO CLEAR HIS NAME

09-08-2007

Birmingham Labour councillor Mohammed Afzal has broken his silence and vowed to clear his name at an Election Court later this year after being accused of "dirty tricks" at the last local election.

Afzal - who represents Aston - stands accused of smearing his Lib Dem rival Saeed Aehmed, by spreading the false rumour that he'd been arrested for electoral fraud

There'llbe a hearing in the city in October (see here)

It's a charge thatAfzal completely denies and although he's wary of saying too much publicly in case it jeopardises his defence, he called The Stirrer to make it clear that he's determined to preserve his reputation.

"I'm completely innocent and I'll be fighting this all the way" he said.

"There's plenty I'd like to say, but it will all come out in court. I'm the one who's the victim of the smear campaign."

Afzal believes he's been on the receiving endof a Liberal Democrat plot to destroy his reputation afterpostal voting fraud was uncoveredat the 2004 council elections.

Five Labour colleagues were subsequently kicked off the Council, but he was cleared on appeal of any wrongdoing.