Share

Four arrested in sexual abuse case in Spain

Madrid - Four members of the Catholic Church were arrested in Spain on Monday for alleged paedophilia, Spanish authorities said.

Judicial sources quoted by Spanish media said the four were priests. Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz declined to give details during a press conference.

The case, which is under gag order, was prompted by a 24-year-old man who came forward with allegations that he was abused when he served as an altar boy.

The alleged victim wrote a letter to Pope Francis detailing his account, and subsequently filed a criminal case.

The Pope spoke with the man twice on the phone, and subsequently requested that the Archbishop of Granada, where the abuse allegedly took place, remove the perpetrators from the clergy.

"The highest power of the church, the Pope, has been the most belligerent in ensuring that the case came to light," Fernandez said.

A judge, who began investigating the case at the beginning of November, is looking into allegations against at least 12 priests and laity.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
41% - 537 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
59% - 766 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.89
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.82
+0.4%
Rand - Euro
20.37
+0.3%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.30
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE