Head of Oxfam is investigated over his handling of a sexual assault case which led to the sacking of its Nigerian director after she lodged a complaint against a senior official at the charity

  • Mark Goldring is being investigated over his handling of a sexual assault case
  • Lesley Agams was Oxfam's country director in Nigeria and was fired in 2010
  • Miss Agams, 51, was dismissed by a senior manager at the charity whom she accused of sexually assaulting her three months before, according to reports

By Mail Foreign Service

Published: | Updated:

The head of Oxfam is being investigated over his handling of a sexual assault case, it was reported last night.

Mark Goldring is the subject of an internal inquiry into the sacking in 2010 of Lesley Agams.

Miss Agams, who was the charity’s country director in Nigeria, was dismissed by a senior manager she had accused of sexually assaulting her three months beforehand, according to reports.

Miss Agams, who was the charity¿s country director in Nigeria, was dismissed by a senior manager she had accused of sexually assaulting her three months beforehand, according to reports

Miss Agams, who was the charity’s country director in Nigeria, was dismissed by a senior manager she had accused of sexually assaulting her three months beforehand, according to reports

Oxfam staff had wanted an independent inquiry but Mr Goldring held a personal review. He apologised to Miss Agams, 51, for what she had gone through but stood by the decision to sack her.

The sacking of Miss Agams resurfaced after a complaint was lodged against Mr Goldring by Marc Wegerif, 49, who resigned as a senior policy official at Oxfam two months ago. He told The Times that the charity had ‘discredited Miss Agams without justification’.

He said: ‘The decisions on how to respond to Lesley’s case were made by senior leadership team without the involvement of the safeguarding team or the gender justice teams. I found it amazing Mark Goldring could acknowledge that she was sacked by the person she accused of assaulting her but then conclude that there was nothing wrong with that.’

Mark Goldring is the subject of an internal inquiry into the sacking in 2010 of Lesley Agams

Mark Goldring is the subject of an internal inquiry into the sacking in 2010 of Lesley Agams

The incident will form part of the Charity Commission’s inquiry into Oxfam that was announced last week following revelations that it had covered up allegations of sexual misconduct by staff in Haiti in 2010.

Mr Goldring, 60, will face questioning from MPs on the Commons international development committee over the scandal today.

Theresa May condemned the behaviour of Oxfam staff as ‘horrific’ yesterday.

The Prime Minister said she was appalled that those who had used prostitutes engaged in physical intimidation of witnesses.

The sacking of Miss Agams resurfaced after a complaint was lodged against Mr Goldring by Marc Wegerif (pictured), 49, who resigned as a senior policy official at Oxfam two months ago

The sacking of Miss Agams resurfaced after a complaint was lodged against Mr Goldring by Marc Wegerif (pictured), 49, who resigned as a senior policy official at Oxfam two months ago

Meanwhile a watchdog had found that Britain’s aid department risks making poorer nations dependent on handouts. Officials prioritise ‘short-term and immediate results’ rather than helping third-world countries to ‘finance and lead their own development’.

There was a failure to monitor value for money in a third of projects, the study into the aid budget of the Department for International Development found. The report was compiled by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact which scrutinises the £13billion spent each year.

A spokesman for DfID said: ‘This report rightly recognises that DfID is a global champion in achieving value for money and is leading the rest of the world in pushing vital reforms through the international aid system to help the poorest people and ensure UK aid cannot be better spent.’

 

Nigeria

Most watched News videos