The embattled chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was suspended from his duties late on Monday, after the court’s oversight body referred Karim Khan for disciplinary proceedings.
In a scandal that has dragged on for more than two years, Khan is facing allegations of sexual misconduct with a female aide. He has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing.
The Bureau of the Assembly of States parties – the executive committee of the court’s oversight body – said in a statement on Monday that it based its assessment on “the report of an investigation undertaken by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the underlying evidence, the advice of an ad hoc Panel of judicial experts, and written submissions”.
The UN investigation found evidence that Khan had “nonconsensual sexual contact with (the aide) in his office, at his private residence, and whilst on mission”, according to a copy of its report seen by Associated Press.
However, a three-judge panel selected by the executive committee for a legal assessment of the findings found that the investigation was not conclusive enough.
