QUESTIONS are being asked about what happened to over £2,000 of taxpayers' money given to a Muslim charity in Worcester.

Councillor Allah Ditta, Worcester's deputy mayor, gave the Jalalabad Association £1,100 for an 'educational day trip' and another £1,200 for computer equipment, in 2012.

The money came from Mr Ditta's divisional fund, a £10,000 pot of cash that can be spent on local causes, from when he was a county councillor.

But now Worshippers at the Jalalabad Association mosque, in Vincent Road, Worcester, have cast doubt over whether the money was spent as intended.

A worshipper at the mosque said: "I've never heard of a day trip taking place. Where's the booking of the coach or the minibus? Which company did they use? Or which train did they go on?

"Where would the mosque take a day trip to? Weston-super-Mare?"

He also questioned where the computers were, claiming he had not seen any inside the mosque.

Another worshipper told the Worcester News that they had not heard about a day trip taking place.

The Charity Commission recently launched an investigation into the Jalalabad Association after it failed to submit accounts for 2012 and from 2014 to 2017.

The Worcester News previously reported that there had been a heated argument about the charity's finances, between members of the mosque and its chairman, Muhidur Rahman, on Friday, January 18.

A member of Worcester's Bangladeshi community, which the mosque caters for, also questioned how Cllr Ditta's donations to the mosque were spent.

He said: "I don't think the trip has happened. It's a small Bangladeshi community in Worcester, everyone knows each other.

"If anything like a day trip happened then word would have gone through the community.

"He [Cllr Ditta] would know if there had been a trip. He uses the mosque.

"If the trip didn't happen, why didn't it happen? [Cllr Ditta] could have requested the money back."

The man said he found out that the deputy mayor had handed taxpayers' money over to the mosque after inspecting council records.

He checked the records of divisional fund payments because he was suspicious about the close relationship between city councillor Ditta and the mosque's chairman.

However, Cllr Ditta, the former Mayor of Worcester, said: "I'm going to assume [the day trip] has taken place.

"The officers would have looked at the paperwork. I didn't chase it up. I'll have to check up on it.

"I don't know if the computer equipment was installed. I can't remember that far back, I'll have to ask.

"As far as I'm concerned, this was seven years ago. Why didn't people come forward earlier? I think they are trying to make mischief out of something that's not there."

Cllr Ditta said he thinks the 'educational trip' was supposed to be a day out at the safari park and that the 'computer equipment' comprised PCs for children.

Addressing the claim about his friendship with the chairman, he said: "He is my friend. All the committee members are my friends.

"I live right in the heart of the community, I'm approachable. I use all the mosques. It doesn't mean I know what they do day-to-day."

Cllr Ditta added that he assumed the charity would receive the cash for the trip, after the day out happened.

Worcestershire County Council said its councillors are responsible for ensuring that their divisional funds are used for the intended purpose.

The council - and not councillors - pay allocations from divisional funds directly to the recipient organisations.

Mr Rahman was unavailable for comment.

If anyone has concerns about payments they can contact Simon Mallinson, the head of legal and democratic services at the county council, on SMallinson@worcestershire.gov.uk