DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dominican Today
Santo Domingo.- Community members in Constanza are expressing shock and disbelief at the sexual abuse allegations against Father Juan Manuel Mota de Jesús (Johnny). The priest is being accused of seducing and raping 11 underage girls as well as women, after some of the victims filed accusations at the Santiago Prosecutor’s Office.
The the latest in a series of scandals affecting the religious authorities following a large number of pedophilia cases that have come to light in recent months.
A press conference was held at the offices of the Ministry for Women’s Affairs yesterday afternoon, where interim office coordinator Juana María Castillo confirmed that they had received three specific reports of rape of minors by the Catholic priest and chaplain who is originally from Cotuí and has served as the parish priest for the last 11 years.
The official said that they had spent seven months investigating these accusations and that the case had entered a new phase since the public disclosure.
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