Priest Booked for Sexual Assault of 13-year-old Boy

Asian Age
December 2, 2015

http://www.asianage.com/mumbai/priest-booked-sexual-assault-13-year-old-boy-214

A 52-year-old priest has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor boy on the premises of Christ the King church in Shivaji Nagar.

The accused has been identified as Fr Johnson Lawrence, who holds the post of a priest-in-charge at the church. On November 27, the 13-year-old victim accompanied by his parents attended the church proceedings in the evening.

After the mass ended, the boy, who was talking with his friends, stayed back on the church premises and did not leave along with his parents.

The police said after friends left the premises, the boy decided to sit on pews in the church for some time before leaving for his house, which located in the same area.

Father Lawrence allegedly saw the boy that was sitting by himself approached him under the pretext of seeking help for moving some items to the storeroom. The minor, in his police complaint, has alleged that Fr Lawrence took him to another room and tried to sexually assault him. When the victim resisted, Fr Lawrence allegedly threatened him and said he would harm his parents if he cried out or shouted for help.

The boy, after reaching home, complained of pain in his private parts and started crying. When his mother enquired, the boy revealed the incident to her. The angry parents then approached the Shivaji Nagar police station and filed a complaint against the priest.

Senior police inspector Bhausaheb Jadhav confirmed the incident and said investigations were still on. “We are yet to arrest the accused. He has been booked under various Sections of the POCSO Act and Section 376 (Punishment for rape) and 377 (Unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code,” he said.