Kofi Annan's son speaks out on oil-for-food programme

The son of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he would be found innocent of wrongdoing and denounced a Republican "witchhunt" against his father over allegations of UN corruption, CNN reported.

Kojo Annan was making his first public comment on a scandal over the supervision of oil sales by Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.

Kojo Annan had been employed by Cotecna, a Swiss firm that had a contract under the UN's now defunct oil-for-food programme, which is being investigated by US lawmakers and prosecutors.

But Kojo Annan said he had never participated "directly or indirectly" in any business related to the UN.

Under the US$64 billion ($91.25 billion) scheme, the UN monitored the sale of Iraqi oil to ensure the money was used to buy food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies.

US congressional investigators believe Saddam skimmed billions of dollars out of the programme.