Kojo Annan denies charges over UN deal
By Nkechi Nwosu
BREAKING his silence over the raging oil-for-food programme controversy, Kojo Annan has said that the allegations were false and part of a witch-hunting exercise.
In a statement to the Cable News Network (CNN), the 31-year-old son of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, rejected any wrong-doing.
The Swiss Multi-national, COTECNA Inspection S.A. got the UN contract for freighting food to Iraq in 1988. But Kojo, who worked for the company, said he only had business to do in the firm's West African operations.
However, after Kojo resigned his job, COTECNA reportedly retained him on its pay roll for four years till February this year.
In the period, Kojo earned $125,000. The United States recently opened a probe on alleged Iraq oil-for-food programme ground which enabled deposed Saddam Hussein weaponry ambition.
But in the statement Kojo said: "I have never participated directly or indirectly in any business related to the UN."
Senator Norm Coleman, leading the fraud probe has urged the UN Secretary-general to resign so he does not hamper the investigations.
The call for Annan's quit has generated much concern from within the UN and the international community.
Annan has said that he was "disappointed" at the news that his son was receiving payments from a firm involved in the Iraq's oil-for food programme.
Kojo reportedly said he had been engaged in long hours of interrogation and was cooperating with the probe panel.
But he was emphatic that at the end of the day, no wrong doing will be established against him.
Kojo rather feels sorry for all the trouble he has caused his father and family.
His consolation: "The rest of the world has shown their unwavering support for my father, what will the United States (U.S.) Senators have to say if there is, as many over here and the rest of the world suspect. No substance to the allegations against my father and one."
The UN spokesman Fred Eckhard has said that Kojo's activities were not illegitimate.
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