PANJIM: The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed that the trial in the 2004 Ribandar Church case be expedited.
Allowing Adv. Aires Rodrigues’s request for a speedy trial, Justice N.A. Britto of the Bombay High Court at Goa has directed that the trial be expedited as expeditiously as possible considering that the case is of the year 2004. The trial of Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents including a 80 year old widow will now commence before the Panaji Chef Judicial Magistrate on 20th Dec.
Welcoming the decision to expedite the trial, Adv. Aires Rodrigues has stated that he was ready to face the trial and prove his innocence. Stating that it was known to all that the complaint filed against him and 14 others was false and fabricated, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the trial would expose Fr. Newton Rodrigues of having filed the false complaint to save himself from the molestation charges.
With the trial now set to start the then parish Priesh of Ribandar Fr. Newton Rodrigues will now have to come back from Canada to depose in the case. He is currently Pastor of St. Bernadette Church at Calgary in Western Canada. Adv. Rodrigues has today stated that he would seek the help of the Bishop of Calgary Frederick Henry to ensure that Fr. Newton Rodrigues is brought back to Goa.
Along with Adv. Aires Rodrigues, 14 other Ribandar residents have been charge sheeted in the case including the 80 year old widow who is now bedridden. The charge sheet is in connection with an incident that allegedly took place in 2004 at the Ribandar Church premises when Adv. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation demanding action against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old girl from Ribandar.
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 has been closed.
A First Information Report (F.I.R) was registered at the Old Goa Police Station on 18th August 2004 against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested the minor girl. The F.I.R was registered against him under Sec 354 of Indian Penal Code and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act. The mother in her complaint to the police had stated that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had taken the minor girl to his bedroom on the pretext of confession and had molested her.
The then Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) on 30th August 2004 opined that the Fr. Newton Rodrigues be charge sheeted. Director of Prosecution had also opined that it was a fit case for charge sheeting Fr Newton Rodrigues.
However 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 was sent to Governor S.C. Jamir. 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.
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