PANJIM JMFC ISSUES FRESH WARRANT OF ARREST AGAINST FATHER NEWTON RODRIGUES

PANJIM: Panjim Judicial Magistrate First Class Mrs. Sarika Faldessai today directed that a fresh warrant of arrest returnable on 21st June be issued against former Parish Priest of Ribandar Father Newton Rodrigues. The JMFC today also directed Crime Branch Police Inspector to be present in Court on 21st June.

The Crime Branch today returned the warrant issued last week unexecuted stating that they require four months to execute the warrant against Fr. Newton Rodrigues

The warrant against Fr. Newton Rodrigues who is currently the Pastor of St. Bernadette Church at Calgary in Canada has been issued after his failure to remain present in Court as directed to depose in the criminal trial of Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents in the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

The Court today continued with the deposition of a PWD employee Mrs. Cynthia Fernandes who was a member of the church committee headed by then Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues. She was today cross examined by Adv. Aires Rodrigues for over two hours

Mrs. Cynthia Fernandes today conceded in court that in 2004 there was an alleged molestation case of a minor girl by Father Newton Rodrigues but stated that she was not aware whether a lady with her two sons was residing in the Ribandar Church with Fr. Newton Rodrigues.

The cross examination will continue on 16th June after which the Court will examine Old Goa Police Sub Inspector H.L.Hanshakutti who had initially investigated the case. Crime Branch Inspector Braz Menezes who was also one of the Investigating officers of the case has been today directed to appear in Court on June 21st.

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.