A former priest of the Roman Catholic Church, currently in jail for impregnating a minor girl three years ago, has moved the Kerala High Court seeking suspension of his sentence for two months to enable him to marry the girl, who has now attained the legal age for marriage.
When the matter came up for consideration on Wednesday, the special public prosecutor for women and children opposed Robin Vadakkumchery's plea seeking suspension of the sentence which cannot be granted as it did not warrant any special circumstance.
The prosecutor also informed the court that Vadakkumcherry, who is in his 50s, was convicted by the trial court for repeatedly raping the 16-year-old girl at his presbytery in 2017 when he was a vicar of a church in Mananthavady diocese of Syro-Malabar Church.
The prosecution argued that the court cannot be made a forum for the marriage of a rape convict with the victim as it would send a wrong message. In his plea, Vadakkumcherry said the only impediment to the marriage was his priesthood and now he is eligible for entering wedlock as he had been dispensed with priestly duties and rights by the Pope and has been reduced to the state of a layman.
The court posted the case for July 24 for further consideration. A POCSO court in Thalassery had last year sentenced Vadakkumchery to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs three lakh on him. Vadakkumcherry was the vicar of the local church in Kottiyur in Kannur district and manager at the school where the victim was studying.
He was arrested two years ago while trying to flee to Canada. Adhering to a policy of zero tolerance towards clergy who sexually exploit minors, Pope Francis had expelled the priest convicted of rape from all priestly duties and rights.
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