The witness statement of Mark Edmunds in his claim for harassment, discrimination on grounds of race and sex and unfair dismissal against the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is now in the public domain. This is the first part of the Poplar Papers to be made available.
The statement has been partially redacted as directed by the East London Employment Tribunal judge.
The first part of Edmunds v London Borough of Tower Hamlets took place between 22nd – 29th August 2019 and will conclude in December 2019.
Mr Edmunds is represented by Francis Hoare of Field Court Chambers who successfully represented the electoral petitioners during the case against Mayor Lutfur Rahman which led to his dismissal from office.
Investigations “obstructed and undermined”
Mark Edmunds was employed as a forensic investigator by Tower Hamlets Council to investigate corruption in the Youth Service during the administrations of both Mayor John Biggs and ex-Mayor Lutfur Rahman.
The key part of Mr Edmunds’s claim is that his investigations were obstructed and/or undermined and that he was eased and then pushed out of investigating the Youth Service in order to avoid public embarrassment to Tower Hamlets Council.
Corrupt employees “allowed to remain in post”
A growing number of media organisations – including Love Wapping, Private Eye Magazine and the East London Advertiser – are currently in discussion with Tower Hamlets Council to gain access to the 2,000 page evidence bundle that contains a huge quantity of material that Mr Edmunds relies on in his witness statement.
This material includes investigation reports ignored or overturned by Tower Hamlets Council and evidence that corrupt employees were allowed to remain or re-engaged by the Council amongst other numerous allegations.
Readers are advised to remember that allegations in the witness statement are just that – allegations and as such are not proven.
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