Market trader branded ‘gangster’ by co-accused, grooming trial told
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A market trader accused of repeatedly raping two teenage girls was labelled a “gangster” by one of his co-accused, a jury has heard. Mohammed Zahid, known as Bossman, was said to have given free underwear from his lingerie stall on Rochdale Market to both complainants, along with money, alcohol and food, in return for regular sex with him and other Asian men in the town.
Zahid allegedly abused one of the teenagers, Girl B, from the age of 13, on an unwashed mattress in the “grim, cold, dark” basement of a town centre clothes shop belonging to Mushtaq Ahmed, who is also said to have raped her. Both men were aged in their mid-40s at the time, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court has heard.
In 2015, Girl A contacted Greater Manchester Police to say she had been the victim of child sexual exploitation and Girl B later followed with similar allegations. When arrested, Ahmed initially told detectives he did not know Zahid or another market trader, Kasir Bashir, who is also alleged to have raped Girl B, but then later told them he had lied.
Prosecutor Rossano Scamardella KC told jurors: “He went on to tell the police that while he was not involved he was aware that Mr Zahid and Mr Bashir took girls to his shop for sex. “Mr Ahmed said that Bashir and Zahid used to put stuff in his shop and paid him money.
