Priest accused in sexual assault of older parish member
A Catholic priest serving the Bexar County area since 2017 has been accused of sexually assaulting an older member of his parish.
George Mbugua Ndungu, 42, of Kenya, was charged with aggravated sexual assault. Ndungu, also known as Father Wanjuri, has served at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church since 2021.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said an employee of the church first accused Ndungu of doing something “improper with her” in August. As a result, church officials reassigned Ndungu and asked anyone in the congregation to come forward if they had been a victim.
A woman in her 70s came forward. Salazar said she was an active member of the church who relied on Ndungu for spiritual guidance.
“She herself, due to some life experiences, some life changes, was in a very vulnerable situation,” Salazar said. “Unfortunately for her, she chose somebody to confide in, to rely upon, that quite frankly preyed upon her.”
Salazar believes the woman was assaulted on three separate occasions.
He credited the Catholic Church and the Archdiocese for acting quickly. The church hired a private investigator to look into the case.
“It’s really nice to see the Roman Catholic Church and the archdiocese leaning forward on this issue,” Salazar said.
The Archdiocese put out its own statement saying it takes sexual misconduct allegations seriously.
“The safety and well-being of all people are very important, and the church’s safe-environment policies seek to protect everyone, most especially children and vulnerable adults,” the statement reads.
Salazar asked anybody else who may have been a victim to contact the sheriff ’s office.
Before St. Rose, Ndungu served at the:
• St. Thomas the Apostle church in Canyon Lake in 2020;
• St. Peter and Paul church in New Braunfels in 2019;
• St. Ann church in La Vernia in 2018;
• St. Mary’s church in Stockdale in 2018;
• Our Lady of Good Counsel church in San Antonio in 2017;
• St. Martin de Porres church in San Antonio in 2017; and
• St. Gabriel church in San Antonio in 2017.
The sheriff’s office can be reached at 210-335-6000 or bcsotips@bexar.org.