Thiruvananthapuram: A Catholic priest in North Parur in the outskirts of Kerala’s commercial capital Kochi, convicted of abusing a minor girl, has been handed a double life imprisonment and a fine of Rs215,000 (Dh11,705) by a special additional sessions court in Ernakulam on Thursday.
The incident happened early last year, and the 41-year-old priest, Fr Edwin Figarez had been in custody for abusing the 14-year-old girl at the priests’ quarters of the church. Figarez was the vicar of the Puthenvelikkara Lourdes Matha Church.
Two others accused in the case were also punished by the court. They are the priest’s brother Sylvester Figarez who helped the priest to go into hiding after the crime, and Dr Ajitha of the Puthenvelikkara primary health centre who failed to report the matter to the police when the minor girl was taken to her for medical examination after the crime was committed.
The girl’s parents had taken her to the doctor, but the doctor did not report the matter to the police.
According to the prosecution, the girl had been abused by the priest for a long time from January, 2015. The girl finally spoke to her mother about the abuse.
Figarez, who also used to conduct retreats, would call the girl to his quarters in the church and give her advice. It was during such meetings that she was abused.
The versatile priest was also a singer and had released devotional music albums.
After the Puthenvelikkara police registered a case based on the girl’s mother’s complaint, Figarez had gone to the Middle East apparently for conducting a retreat there. But once his bail application was turned down by the court, he returned to India.
He was then arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including the sections under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (Pocso).
Meanwhile, the church diocese authorities had removed him from taking part in religious rituals at the church.
