The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will face disciplinary proceedings over accusations of sexual misconduct, it has been reported.
Karim Khan KC, who investigates war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, has taken a leave of absence pending an inquiry into the allegations.
Mr Khan, accused of a non-consensual sexual interaction with a lawyer in his office, has denied any wrongdoing.
In a vote on Wednesday by a core group of member states, 15 voted in favour, two abstained and four voted against moving forward with the disciplinary process, two sources told Reuters.
The ICC, the world’s criminal court of last resort, has been rocked by the investigation into Mr Khan, its most prominent official, as well as US sanctions over the arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former defence minister, over alleged war crimes.
A report by United Nations (UN) investigators found a “factual basis” for the allegations of sexual misconduct, and that witness accounts “lend support to her claims”, the sources said.
However, a second report by three judges who analysed the UN report found the evidence insufficient to establish the truth of the allegations “beyond a reasonable doubt”, they said.
Lawyers for Mr Khan claimed in late March that the judges unanimously concluded that the “factual findings do not establish misconduct or breach of duty”.
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A group of African states said disciplinary proceedings should end, arguing that the judges had exonerated Mr Khan.
However, other nations, including the ICC’s biggest backers, voted to continue proceedings.
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Officials from the prosecutor’s office also opposed Mr Khan’s continued service as chief prosecutor in a letter read out at Wednesday’s meeting.
The prosecutor’s office has declined to comment on the development as it was an ongoing process.
