By Athi Shankar
Free Malaysia Today
January 15, 2011
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/01/15/home-denies-sex-abuse-allegations/
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GEORGE TOWN: An internal probe conducted by St Joseph's Home found no evidence that the inmates, mainly boys and girls, had been sexually abused.
It concluded that the allegations of sexual abuse made by a social activist on Wednesday were baseless and unfounded.
The chairman of the home management board Eustace Anthony Nonis told the press today that following a police report lodged by the 41-year-old businesswoman, the board had instantly conducted an internal probe.
"I would say that we found no evidence whatsoever to substantiate the claims made by this volunteer," said Nonis, 68.
He suggested that the allegations could have risen over misinterpretation of "good or bad touching" by tutors on the children.
"Our probe revealed that a volunteer male tutor had allegedly touched a 15-year-old boy on his head, shoulders and thigh.
"The boy likes to day-dream and sleep in the class. So the tutor tried to wake him up from his slumber. But there was no contact below the table," said Nonis.
He said that the board did not suspend the tutor because it would be prejudicial since the case is under police investigation.
"We cannot punish a person if he is not found guilty," he added.
St Joseph's Home is located in the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church compound in upper Penang Road.
Deeply distressed
Nonis said the board would allow the police to complete their investigation and reveal their findings.
"We hope the police would complete their probe fast," he added.
He said the board was "deeply disturbed and distressed" by the allegations lodged by the woman, said to be a restaurant owner, and the subsequent media frenzy on the issue.
The head of Catholic Churches Penang, Bishop Anthony Selvanayagam, 76, said that the allegations have definitely tarnished the image of the home.
"The allegations are open to various misinterpretations," he told reporters.
On Wednesday, the woman lodged the police report claiming sexual abuses by tutors and volunteers on the children, comprising 22 girls and 12 boys, aged between six and 17.
The police have set up a special task force to probe into the allegations.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the police investigating team had interviewed all the children and workers, and collected various documents for perusal.
A boy and a girl from the home have also been sent to Penang Hospital for medical examination.
They were alleged to have been "sodomised and raped".
'We have nothing to hide'
Calling herself only as Lim representing a NGO, the businesswoman alleged that sexual abuses were rampant at the home.
In her report, she claimed "some children were raped, sodomised and forced to perform oral sex on others".
Nonis said he does not know the social activist and what was her police report all about.
He claimed that he had never seen the complainant before.
"We are still in the dark on why the police have refused us a copy of her report even though we had requested for it," he said.
Nonetheless, the management board will soon make a legal written request to obtain a copy of the police report.
"We will cooperate fully with the police. We have nothing to hide," he said.
Meanwhile, a church volunteer Andrew Rajah called on the police to speed their probe and reveal their findings soon for mutual benefit and interest.
"If the case drags on, the issue will tarnish the image of the Catholic churches," said Andrew, who is also the PPP Jelutong division secretary.
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