Bond Denied to Rogers City Priest

By Jordan Spence
Alpena News
March 13, 2017

http://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2017/03/bond-denied-to-rogers-city-priest/

The request for bond to be posted for Rev. Sylvestre Obwaka was denied by Judge Donald McLennan during a preliminary hearing on Monday.

“We ask bond be $50,000 and we post 10 percent,” Matt Wojda, one of Obwaka’s attorneys, said. “If it’s higher than that we’ll pledge realty.”

He said it’s a two step process to decide the bond issue. First, he said, there must be enough proof of guilt.

“And if they’re a flight risk is another issue,” Wojda said.

Obwaka is a native of Kenya, not a citizen of the United States, and he was assigned to St. Ignatius in 2013.

Wojda said Obwaka would surrender his passport, credit card and driver’s license. He said this would make it impossible for him to flee.

“My client is a well known man both by his detractors and supporters,” Wojda said. “He couldn’t flee if he wanted to.”

Wojda said Obwaka also would not use alcohol and would seek rehab if the court found it permissible.

Prosecutor Ken Radzibon said bond should be denied because Obwaka was charged with a first degree CSC felony.

Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Kwiatkowski presented the medical examination of the victim to the court to show there is enough proof of guilt to deny bond.

McLennan said because of what was in the medical report and that it’s not always a certainty a defendant won’t flee that he was denying bond.

“The denial of bond is appropriate,” McLennan said.

Jordan Spence can be reached via email at jspence@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.