The Telegraph has issued a public apology and paid damages to an east London businessman after accusing him of corruption during the Tower Hamlets mayoral scandal.
The article written by the Islamophobic journalist Andrew Gilligan was published in the run up to the removal of the former mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman after being found guilty of corruption.
Gilligan accused local businessman Mujibul Islam of being a willing beneficiary of Rahman’s corruption in relation to the sale of Poplar Town Hall.
The Telegraph issued the following statement on their website on Saturday 7 May 2016:
“In our coverage of Lutfur Rahman the former mayor of Tower Hamlets, we reported on the sale of Poplar Town Hall to a company controlled by Mujibul Islam, a local businessman, and the subsequent grant of planning permission for a hotel. Our articles suggested that Mr Islam was a willing beneficiary of Mr Rahman’s corruption. This is untrue.
“We accept that Mr Islam bid for the property on the open market and did not manipulate the planning process. We apologise to Mr Islam and have agreed to pay him damages and costs.”
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