2004 RIBANDAR CHURCH CASE TRIAL ON 22ND MARCH

PANJIM: The trial in the 2004 Ribandar Church case will resume on March 22nd at 10 am before Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class Ms Shabnam Shaikh with three witnesses scheduled to be examined.  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 then Ribandar Parish Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old local girl.

At the request of Adv. Rodrigues the Bombay High Court at Goa has already directed that the trial be expedited.

As Fr. Newton Rodrigues who was summoned has failed to appear, the Court will now decide whether to issue a warrant against Fr. Newton Rodrigues who is now settled in Canada.

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.