THRISSUR: Thrissur Fast Track Special Court (Pocso) sentenced a priest to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed Rs 50,000 penalty for sexually abusing a minor girl. The convict is Raju Kokkan, 49, who served as the priest at St Paul’s church in Thaikkattussery. The incident happened in 2014 and case was registered in Ollur police station.
The priest allegedly invited the minor girl who was a parish member to his room and sexually abused her. The children who came for the first holy communion class, teachers and church staff were witnesses to the act.
The photos clicked using mobile phone also acted as evidence to prove the allegations. While pronouncing the verdict, the judge observed that such act from the part of a priest who was supposed to be a model for the society should not have happened. The prosecution represented by special public prosecutor K P Ajay Kumar produced 18 witnesses.