Trial of Redbridge councillor accused of electoral fraud postponed again until January
The electoral fraud trial for Cllr Iqbal (Loxford) was postponed to January. Picture: Ken Mears - Credit: Archant
The trial of a Redbridge councillor charged with electoral fraud has been postponed again until January.
Chaudhary Mohammed Iqbal, Labour councillor for Loxford, is accused of “making false statements in candidate nomination papers” during the 2018 local election.
He pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 22 and chose to be tried by jury at a crown court.
A trial date was initially set for June 19. It was moved to September 3 and is now set to begin on January 4 at Prospero House, a court set up to handle the overflow of cases at Southwark Crown Court.
Police say the charges “relate to false declarations by Iqbal regarding his address”.
Local councillors must be registered to vote in the area they represent or have lived, worked or owned property there for at least a year before the election.
A council spokesperson confirmed that Cllr Iqbal is still serving as a councillor.
