RIBANDAR CHURCH CASE: APP THREATENS TO WALK OUT FROM COURT

PANJIM: The Court of Panjim Judicial Magistrate First Class Ms Sarika Phaldesai today witnessed tense moments with Assistant Public Prosecutor Mrs. Frances Noronha threatening to walk out of the court which was hearing the criminal trial of Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents in the 2004 Ribandar Church case. Adv. Aires Rodrigues today accused the APP of trying to delay the proceedings.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Mrs. Frances Noronha today moved an application seeking the cancellation of Aires Rodrigues’s bail in the case and threatened to walk out of the court unless the court passed appropriate orders.

Declining APP Mrs. Frances Noronha’e request, the new appointed JMFC Ms Sarika Phaldesai sternly told the APP to start the examination of the panch witness who had been summoned.  The Court today heard the testimony of panch witness Mr. Imran Motiwala who went hostile and stated that he was not aware of the contents of the panchanama.

The court will now on 7th June examine Police sub Inspectors Mr. S.L. Hunashukutti and Mr. Vinayak Mahale. A PWD employee Mrs. Cynthia Fernandes who was who was a member of the church committee headed by then Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues will be examined on 9th June. Fr. Newton Rodrigues on whose complaint Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 others were charge sheeted has been directed to also remain present in Court on June 9th.

The State finds itself in a dilemma with none of the prosecution witnesses so far having deposed against Adv. Aires Rodrigues. Infact with some of the witnesses going hostile the Assistant Public Prosecutor has had to cross examine her own witnesses.

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 Fr. Newton Rodrigues 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 had opined that the Fr. Newton Rodrigues be charge sheeted. The 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 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.