KOCHI: A local court here on Thursday awarded double life imprisonment to Fr Edwin Figarez, a former priest with the Lourdes Matha Church, Puthenvelikkara, who is accused of raping a minor girl.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.15 lakhs to the accused. The court made it clear that the sentence shall run concurrently.
The court found Figarez guilty on rape charges and other charges levelled by the police.
The deposition of the victim girl before the Puthenvelikkara police stated that Fr Edwin preyed on the child when she began visiting the church for confession.
The victim often used to visit the Lourdh Matha Church and made her confession before the priest. On March 29, 2015, the victim’s mother took her to the residence of Dr Ajitha and disclosed the matter to her. However, the doctor prescribed medicine to the child, and failed to inform the matter to the police.
The court acquitted Dr Ajitha after admonition under Section 3 in the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958.