PANJIM JMFC ISSUES WARRANT OF ARREST AGAINST FATHER NEWTON RODRIGUES

PANJIM: Panjim Judicial Magistrate First Class Mrs. Sarika Phaldesai today directed that a warrant of arrest be issued against former Ribandar Parish Priest Father Newton Rodrigues for having failed to appear in Court as directed. The JMFC has directed that the warrant be sent to the Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch for execution..
The JMFC had as a last opportunity directed Father Newton Rodrigues to be present in Court today to depose in the criminal trial of Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents in the 2004 Ribandar Church case.
Father Newton Rodrigues being the complainant in the case his deposition is crucial for the Prosecution. None of the prosecution witnesses have so far deposed against Adv. Aires Rodrigues. Infact with some of the witnesses going hostile the Assistant Public Prosecutor Mrs. Frances Noronha has submitted to the court that she was dropping 26 witnesses. The police had in their charge sheet against Adv. Aires Rodrigues named 37 witnesses.
The Court today began the examination of a PWD employee Mrs. Cynthia Fernandes who was a member of the church committee headed by then Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues. The examination will continue on 14th June.
The court today earlier completed the cross examination of then Crime Branch Police Sub Inspector Vinayak Mahale who had filed the charge sheet against Adv. Rodrigues. He submitted to the court that the case was handed over to him on 5th April 2005 by then Crime Branch Inspector Braz Menezes who had completed the investigation. He submitted that from April 2005 to the filing of the charge sheet on 26th June 2007 all he did was discuss the case with his superiors i.e. Dy SP, SP and Senior SP. He also stated that there was a delay of three months in filing the charge sheet due to the time taken to xeroz copies of the charge sheet against Adv. Rodrigues.
The Court will also on 14th June examine Old Goa Police Sub Inspector H.L.Hanshakutti who had initially investigated the case. Then Crime Branch Police Inspector Braz Menezes who later investigated the case will be the last prosecution witness to be examined.
Adv. Rodrigues will then examine his witnesses which includes Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao, Mrs. Conceicao Frois the mother of the minor girl who was allegedly molested by Fr. Newton Rodrigues, Mr. Michael Fernandes, husband of Ribandar CCP Corporator Vivina Nasnodkar who was a panch witness but not examined by the prosecution and Superintendent of Police Mr. Bosco George a parishioner of Ribandar Church and who was ADC to then Goa Governor S.C. Jamir when the case filed by the mother of the minor girl against Fr. Newton Rodrigues was closed at the behest of the Governor Jamir.
In 2004 Adv. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation demanding action against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old Ribandar girl.
While Adv. Rodrigues and others were charge sheeted for confronting Fr. Newton Rodrigues, the case filed against Fr.Newton Rodrigues by the mother of the 13 year old girl who was allegedly molested by Fr. Newton was closed.
Then Governor of Goa Mr. S.C Jamir reportedly intervened to save Fr. Newton Rodrigues from being charge sheeted. On 14th July 2005 the case file against Fr. Newton Rodrigues was sent to Governor S.C. Jamir and on 31st August 2005 the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Newton Rodrigues be closed. Fr. Newton Rodrigues was later relieved from the Archdiocese of Goa and moved to Canada.

5 comments:

Salvador Seraulim said...

A shame on the Goan Catholic church posting a priest out of the country while a case is still going on. How on earth did he get his police Clearance? Was it divine intervention?

N.Fernandes-London said...

I can understand why Fr Newton was posted to Canada.This was to save the Church from Embarrassment & disgrace.
However the Law is the Law  and  Fr Newton is no special person to be exempted from it.
If the Church intended for this matter to die a slow death, it has infact, had the reverse effect.
Lets hope the Church will now state that enough is enough and advise Fr Newton to put this matter to rest once & for all, so that the Church can begin the proccess of "HEALING" regaining its RESPECTFUL" place in Society & in the eyes of GOD.
Lets hope Fr. Newton will now come down to Goa, and prove his innocence.His current stubborness & intransgience is damaging the Church & its respect amongst the community & other religious communities.

Gobor said...

And the bishop will keep on "bit-bit -eying"  in helplessness

David Leitao said...

The Bishop advocates the thought that two Andhra Pradeshis, tow Mahrashtrians, two Benaglis, two kannadigas, two Punjabis ani titun Don Goenche Bhau can make a beautiful basic community but I beg to differ with him I wish to convey him that to be a true witness of Christ Charity should begin at home be generous to your own Goans first protect their interests and bravely stand up for them while they are getting ripped off by scoundrels like Joking Alemao and Chorchill Alemao !!! Practice what you preach Do not accept donations from rogues who are trying to appease God from their ill gotten wealth from flesh trade drug trade, illegall mining, casino trade and land and muscle mafias!!! The recent photograph in the Navhind with the Archbishop posing with Joking Alemao cutting the ribbon at some inauguartion was disgusting !!  Show me your friends and I will tell you what you are how can we just absolve them of their acts of commission and omission some minimum discernment has to be called for !!! Associationg with complusive looters and law breakers shows the Catholic church in Goa  in bad light Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing !! Correct them if they do not mend their ways of corruption and next disassociate yourselves from them stamp off the dust of your sandals and move on !!!
Fr Newton God knows is being made a scapegoat by  Aires Rodrigues for reasons best known to him !!! Fr Newton needs the right and sound counsel which has been deprived to him !!! We all know on whose payrolls Aires operates !!!!

Andy said...

David Leitao Please do not cover your back side if you are not sure of the facts.As far as Fr Newton molestation is concerned It was well accepted by him and the Case filed by the Mother of the Girl. Never a confession heard in the Bed Room or the person's pendant or boobs touched while confession is heard so do not use the words ''scapegoat'' He is not innocent BUT with the help of the Power Guns The Bishop he has Run away to Canada 

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