Priest sentenced to 20-yr term for raping minor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A special court in Thalassery (north Kerala’s Kannur) on Saturday awarded 20-year rigorous imprisonment to Father Robin Vadkumcherry (51), a senior Catholic priest, for sexually assaulting a minor girl for more than four years.

However, the court acquitted six others - four nuns, a priest, and an employee of the orphanage - who faced the charges of covering up the crime for want of evidence.

The Pocso (protection of children from sexual offences act) court also ordered criminal proceedings against the victim’s parents who turned hostile later.

Though the quantum of punishment is more than 60 years, the priest can serve it concurrently but the court made it clear it should not be less than 20 years. It also imposed a fine of ~3 lakh on the priest.

The prosecution said it will appeal against the acquittal of six others.

The infamous Kottiyoor rape case came to light after the 17-year-old victim gave birth to a boy in a hospital controlled by the same parish.

After the delivery, the girl and the newborn were shifted to an orphanage run by the Mananthawady Archdiocese discreetly. Later the victim’s father was forced to own up the crime. Both, the victim and father, later admitted the crime to the police.

The incident invited enough embarrassment to the church. Robin was the vicar of the St Sebastian church in Kottiyoor when the incident took place.