Oxfam's country director in Haiti admitted using prostitutes at his residence during a relief mission, before resigning in 2011, according to an internal investigation released by the charity yesterday.
Roland Van Hauwermeiren has denied paying for sex with prostitutes or abusing minors. He ran the Oxfam operation in Haiti after an earthquake in 2010 and resigned in 2011.
The 2011 report details what the charity did after receiving an email on July 12, 2011, claiming that various members of staff in the Haiti project had breached Oxfam's code of conduct relating to sexual exploitation, fraud, negligence and nepotism.
It documents accusations against others of using prostitutes in Oxfam-rented accommodation and of bullying and intimidation, but says the "only substantiated allegations'' against the country director were the use of prostitutes at his Oxfam residence.
It says he offered to resign.
In an open letter to a broadcaster in his native Belgium last week, Van Hauwermeiren said he resigned because he had failed to exercise sufficient control over staff accused of sexual misconduct.
He denied any wrongdoing himself but said he had a brief sexual relationship at his Oxfam house with a local woman.
Reuters has been unable to contact Van Hauwermeiren for comment.
