SECRETARY-GENERAL ACCEPTS RESIGNATIONS OF DEPUTY PROSECUTOR AND REGISTRAR OF INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA
Press Release
SG/SM/6172
SECRETARY-GENERAL ACCEPTS RESIGNATIONS OF DEPUTY PROSECUTOR AND REGISTRAR OF INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA
19970226 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:After reviewing the report of the Office of Internal Oversight Services on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Secretary-General discussed its findings with his senior advisers at Headquarters, as well as the President of the Rwanda Tribunal and the Prosecutor. He also held separate meetings with the Deputy Prosecutor, Honoré Rakotomanana, and the Registrar, Andronico Adede. He concluded that the findings of the investigation, that there are serious management and operational deficiencies, required decisive action.
In view of the high importance the United Nations and the international community attach to the work of the Tribunal, the Secretary-General decided that the continuation of the two officials of the Tribunal in their posts would not be in the interests of the United Nations and of the work of the Tribunal in a case involving human tragedy of incalculable proportion.
Following the discussions with the Secretary-General and accepting that the best interests of the United Nations and the Tribunal are overriding concerns, Mr. Rakotomanana and Mr. Adede submitted their resignations from their respective posts, the latter also resigning from the Organization. The Secretary-General has accepted their resignations and administrative procedures are being taken to separate them from the Organization. It should, however, be noted that the investigation found no evidence of corruption or misuse of funds.
The Secretary-General has decided, in consultation with the President of the Tribunal, to appoint Agwu Okali of Nigeria as the new Registrar of the Rwanda Tribunal with immediate effect. Mr. Okali is currently serving as Director and Deputy to the Assistant Secretary-General at the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) in Nairobi. He worked in the Office of Legal Affairs and served as Director of the Habitat Office in New York.
The announcement regarding the replacement of the Deputy Prosecutor will be made shortly.
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