By HARRISON ARUBU

The United Nations says it has identified and placed on administrative leave without pay another staff member involved in a recent viral sex video in Israel.

Mr Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, disclosed this during the daily news briefing held virtually on Monday

Haq said: “A third male international staff member who was in the UN vehicle in Tel Aviv has also been identified as having engaged in alleged misconduct.

“The staff member has been placed on Administrative Leave Without Pay, pending the results and conclusion of the ongoing OIOS (Office of Internal Oversight Services) investigation.”

On July 2, the UN announced the suspension of two employees involved in the video, which went viral on social media in late June.

The video showed a couple allegedly having sex in a marked UN car in the Israeli capital, Tel Aviv.

The organisation had confirmed that the 4×4 vehicle was “likely assigned to the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO)”.

UN spokesman, Mr Stephane Dujarric, said, at the time, that the organisation was “shocked and deeply disturbed” by the footage.

In the short video, a woman in a red dress was seen allegedly straddling a man in the back seat of the white SUV bearing the “UN” inscription.

With them in the moving car are the driver and a bald-head man sitting on the passenger side in front.

Media reports say the footage was recorded on HaYarkon Street, a major thoroughfare in Tel Aviv.

According to the organisation, UNTSO is the first ever peacekeeping mission established by the UN in 1948.

It says the mission comprises military observers to monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements and prevent military escalation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in 2019, the UN said it received and investigated 175 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against its staff.

Out of the total, 16 were substantiated, 15 unsubstantiated and all others still being investigated. (NAN)

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