Reply #131: U.N. investigations chief under investigation [View All]

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The acting chief of the U.N. division that investigates wrongdoing in the world body is currently under investigation himself for allegedly retaliating against two whistle-blowers, according to a U.N. document.
Michael Dudley asked the U.N. Disputes Tribunal to suspend an investigation into the allegations — but tribunal Judge Marilyn J. Kaman, in a ruling released this week and obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, rejected his request "in its entirety."

Dudley questioned whether the whistle-blowers had acted in good faith and challenged the authority of the U.N. Ethics Office, which had determined that a "prime facie case of retaliation for each complaint existed." He claimed his candidacy for the director's position would be adversely affected by an "illegal investigation based on a malicious complaint" by an individual who had applied for the deputy director's position that he now holds.

Usually, the investigation division of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, known as OIOS, investigates allegations of retaliation and other internal U.N. cases. But because Dudley is the division's acting director and the whistle-blowers worked for OIOS, the Ethics Office asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to approve an alternative investigation — which he did.

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An AP investigation last year also found that the United Nations cut back sharply on investigations into corruption and fraud within its ranks, shelving cases involving the possible theft or misuse of millions of dollars, and that Dudley had a record of closing cases before investigations were complete and not actively pursuing initiatives begun by a special anti-corruption unit, the Procurement Task Force, which was terminated in 2009.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-01-19-united-nations-probe_N.htm