Councillor falsely accused in flier

A Rochdale councillor has been falsely accused of giving evidence for one of the men convicted in the recent ‘grooming trial’. The accusation was made in a leaflet circulated by a far-right group in Heywood and Rochdale on the night of the Mayor-making.

The flier called upon the Labour Party to sack Cllrs Aftab Hussain and Sultan Ali for giving evidence in support of convicted racist paedophile Abdul Quayyum who was given a five year sentence for conspiracy to engage in sexual activities with a child.

It is believed that the leaflet meant to refer to Zulfiquar Ali, the former mayor, who has retired from the council and who admitted to Rochdale Online to making a ‘silly mistake’ in agreeing to appear as a character witness in the trial.

Sultan Ali, the cabinet member for Strengthening Communities told Rochdale Online that although he had been ‘upset’ by the article, he was keeping a cool head and the matter was in the hands of the Borough Solicitor.

The other councillor who gave evidence in the trial, Aftab Hussain who sits as a councillor in Smallbridge and Firgrove, has refused to speak to Rochdale Online about the issue.

We are awaiting a statement from the council.