Transfer of Sex Case Involving Moravian Pastor Delayed

The Gleaner
March 31, 2017

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170331/transfer-sex-case-involving-moravian-pastor-delayed

Clarke ... the pastor of the Nazareth Moravian Church in Manchester will remain on bail until June 23 when he returns to court.

There has been a delay in the transfer of the sex offence case of Moravian minister Rupert Clarke from the St Elizabeth Parish Court to the Home Circuit Court in Kingston.

Clarke, who is 64, is charged with having sex with a minor in relation to a 14-year-old girl in the parish.

Yesterday, when he appeared in the St Elizabeth Parish Court, it was expected that the judge would have granted permission for the matter to be transferred on a voluntary bill of indictment.

But Clarke’s new attorney Deborah Martin asked for time to peruse the affidavit which she said was only served on her yesterday by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

The matter is now set to be called up in the St Elizabeth Parish Court on June 23.

Clarke, the pastor of the Nazareth Moravian Church in Manchester will remain on bail until that time.

In the meantime, he continues to be suspended from pastoral duties.