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	State Drops Defilement Charges against Priest By Monitor Reporter Daily Monitor September 21, 2011 http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1240708/-/biq5iwz/-/ men.png Karimojong men make a granary in preparation for the harvest season. Many Karimojong are now constructing such granaries across the region for safe storage. A lot of crops were damaged by floods due to limited storage facilities. PHOTO by Steven Ariong The Director of Public Prosecutions has withdrawn charges of defilement against Fr. Joseph Kalinaki, the Vicar General and finance secretary of Jinja Diocese, ending a controversy that had brought the priest and the Church into disrepute. Jinja Resident State Attorney Vicky Nabisenke said she had carefully perused the case file and found no evidence of any immoral sexual act, save for finding the accused being in the company of the alleged victim. Fr. Kalinaki was on August 27 arrested following a complaint by an elder sister to the alleged defilement victim. This was after Fr. Kalinaki and the victim were allegedly found at Paradise Hotel. In her statement, the elder sister alleged that her sister was 14 years, and that Fr. Kalinaki had for some time been misleading her, making the “young girl” miss school. But the state attorney said the alleged victim denied any sexual relationship, her story corroborated medical evidence, a birth certificate gave her age as 18, and there was no evidence of “sexual behaviour or flirtatious conduct”. “Given the foregoing therefore, I am of the opinion that no offence has been disclosed against the suspect by the evidence on record,” Ms Nabisenke wrote. The victim’s parents contradicted assertions that the girl was underage, saying she was born in April 1993. A birth certificate from St Matia Mulumba Maternity in Kamuli indicated the alleged victim was born on April 15, 1993. Fr. Kalinaki said in a statement on August 28 that he was approached by the parents of the alleged victim to assist her join the Little Sisters of St Francis, whose convent is based in Jinja. He says that even on the day he was arrested, he had spoken with the mother about the girl meeting him. He said he had gone to the hotel to buy food, having had nothing at parish where he resides. An August 30 medical report from Jinja Main Hospital indicated the age of the alleged victim to be 18, and her virginity intact. Contact: editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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