Cali Priest Convicted of Sexual Abuse of 3 Children

By Adriaan Alsema
Colombia Reports
February 14, 2012

colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/22188-cali-priest-convicted-of-sexual-abuse-of-3-children.html


A priest from the southwestern Colombian city of Cali is convicted for the 2009 sexual abuse of three children when they were 10, 11 and 12.

According to Colombia's Prosecutor General's Office's website, the judge considered it proven that priest William de Jesus Mazo Perez had sexually abused the three children inside one of the church's properties and will rule on the sentence within days.

Following the sexual abuse, the priest gave the victims money and gifts so they would not tell their parents, the press release said.

Police arrested the priest on charges of sexual abuse of minors in June 2010 after parents told the authorities about the abuse of their children.

The victims' attorney told website Terra that the priest has denied all charges and the church has refused to apologize for the sexual abuse.

According to statistics by Colombia's Catholic Church, four clergies have been detained on charges of child abuse since 2010.