Abdul Malik, the ruling Aspire party’s councillor for Blackwall and Cubitt Town, is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
He appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday (March 14) where he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The details of the charge allege that he “contacted the father of a complainant of rape and told him to get his daughter to drop the charges against the male alleged to have raped her and get him out of custody”.
The charges relate to the case of Samir Abdul, 18, of Manor Park, who is charged with two counts of rape. Abdul is yet to enter pleas.
The alleged rapist’s dad, Abdul Roqib, 45, of Manor Park, and aunt Rahela Begum, 41, of Rye Road in Hoddesdon, were also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Begum pleaded guilty to the charge, which states she telephoned the victim and requested she withdraw the allegation of rape against her nephew.
Roqib also pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated he contacted Cllr Malik to request his involvement in halting criminal proceedings against his son.
He is the chair of the council’s human resources committee and sits on its licensing committee.
He is also a director of Castalia Food and Grocery Store on the Isle of Dogs.
Tower Hamlets Council previously refused to answer questions about whether Cllr Malik was currently able to fulfil his role or whether any measures had been put in place to cover his usual work.
“Due to legal proceedings being active we are unable to comment on the case,” it said.
We had not asked it to comment on the case.
