Ex-Councillor in Birmingham Cleared over Vote-Rigging Claims

A former Labour Party councillor accused of being one of the ringleaders of what a judge described as a widespread vote-rigging fraud cleared his name today.

The Appeal court panel was heavyweight, Lord Phillips, Master of the Rolls, a Lord Justice Brooke, vice- president of the Appeal court, and Lord Justice Dyson. Prefessional indemnity Insurers were watching because of cover to local authorities and their returning officers in particular. The 3 judges quashed the findings of Election Commissioner Richard Mawrey QC relating to Muhammad Afzal.

Lord Phillips said the ruling of Judge Mawrey would have to be changed to delete any reference to Mr Afzal being personally guilty of corrupt and illegal practices involving postal voting.

The deputy High Court judge’s rulings on two other councillors in Aston – that they were involved in illegal practices – remains. The police described finding Mr Afzal and Mr Kazi (Mohammed Kazi is a longstanding Labour officer. He is a former postman and official of the postal workers’ union ) and Mr Islam ( A handwriting expert found that Mr Islam had signed 121 voting papers using five names and six addresses), handling unsealed postal ballots in a deserted warehouse in the city. During the 4 week Election Court hearings, Commissioner Mawrey was told the trio had been caught operating a "vote-rigging factory".

He said there was evidence of “massive, systematic and organised fraud” in the campaign had made a mockery of the election and ruled that not less than 1,500 votes had been cast fraudulently in Birminham. One of the wards where corruption was said to be rife covered Aston, an inner-city neighbourhood. This is the stamping ground of Muhammad Afzal, a city councillor for 23 years, widely regarded as the most powerful man in Birmingham Asian politics.

Ramby de Mello, representing Mr Afzal, told the judges at today’s hearing that his client had not had a fair trial at the election court.

The judges will give their reasons for their decision at a later date.

A relieved Mr Afzal said : “I am glad I have been vindicated by the Court of Appeal.

“I have always believed in British justice and justice has been done to me. It has been proved that I have done nothing wrong.”