Sexual Assault Charges Dropped against Priest, Union Leader, September 28, 2007

Sexual Assault Charges Dropped against Priest

Union Leader
September 28, 2007

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Sexual+assault+charges+
dropped+against+priest&articleId=87398bab-08fd-4add-8498-9caaf347e89c

MANCHESTER – Supporters of visiting Nigerian priest John Lawani began their celebration at Hillsborough County Superior Court yesterday morning after sexual assault charges against Lawani were dropped by the county attorney.

LAWANI

For the past year, Lawani — based at St. George Church, — has been suspended from his duties of ministering to the city's growing African Catholic population.

Defense attorney John Kacavas said Lawani, 40, was relieved the charges were dropped, so that he can resume his pastoral duties at the church.

"He has no malice in his heart," said Kacavas.

The jury trial had begun Wednesday with many of Lawani's supporters in attendance. The first day ended with Kacavas cross-examining the alleged victim. That cross-examination was supposed to resume yesterday morning.

Instead, Hillsborough County Attorney Marguerite Wageling said: "We nol prossed (the charges). . . It does happen."

"These sorts of cases are very traumatic and difficult for a victim to testify about," she said.

Wageling said often there is little or no physical evidence in such cases, which often come down to the credibility of the accuser and accused.

"Crimes such as these aren't done in public on street corners ... It's always difficult to try and testify (before a jury) in court," she said.

The priest's accuser, a mother of three who came to the United States as an African refugee more than seven years ago, had claimed Lawani assaulted her on a number of occasions between Oct. 29, 2005, and Sept. 6, 2006.

Yesterday, Kacavas said when the trial adjourned Wednesday, he had not yet begun to question the woman about mental health issues he considered important. He had sought mental health records earlier this year, saying the woman was hospitalized and diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder during a hospital stay from Dec. 30, 2005 to Jan. 14, 2006.

Kacavas yesterday said he believes the accuser is "an individual who was looking to take advantage of the problems the Catholic Church has had of late."