T&T: Haitian priest on rape charge

A Woman who claimed she was sexually assaulted by a Haitian priest in Port-of-Spain, has told the police that the priest had kissed her about one week before the March 19 alleged rape incident, police sources have confirmed.

However, up to late yesterday, no instructions to charge the priest had been given. Supt Errol Denoon, second in command of the Port-of-Spain Criminal Investigations Department, said he expected to receive a report on the alleged rape incident on Tuesday.

The alleged rape was reported to the Port-of-Spain CID on March 22. The woman claimed that the Roman Catholic priest invited her to a place on Frederick Street where he kissed her.

After that, attempts were made to contact the woman, apparently for her to not report the kiss to anyone, police said.

However, about one week later, the woman reportedly went to see the priest to tell him she was not interested in a relationship with him.

The woman told the police that he held her and had sexual intercourse with her against her will.

There was no indication that the victim screamed or put up a struggle, and there were no marks of violence on her body, police sources said.

The woman’s husband, a policeman, was subsequently informed about the alleged rape and a report made.

The Sunday Guardian was told that the woman decided to see the priest personally because police said he had been in Trinidad for “a period of time.”

The Sunday Guardian understands that the priest has been in T&T since September, and that he has a three-year contract. Police sources, noting concerns about the delay in reporting the rape, said, however, that the victim appeared to be naive and in shock at the incident.

This rape is consistent with reports concerning the behavior of priests in Africa. A celibate priesthood is unnatural; for, not all men are capable of celibacy. Under such circumstances, celibacy breeds crimes greater than the priesthood can afford to have.