Posted on 06/26/2004 9:11:08 AM PDT by Salvation
Australia arrests priest 12:37 AM CDT on Friday, June 25, 2004
MELBOURNE, Australia – Police arrested a Catholic priest Friday after he was deported from Samoa for failing to disclose his conviction in a child molestation case. The Rev. Frank Klep faces five charges of indecent assault stemming from offenses against boys dating to 1973, police told The Associated Press. Authorities on Samoa, in the South Pacific, on Wednesday ordered Father Klep deported, giving him two days to leave, said Samoan official Auseugaefa Poloma Komiti, according to The Dallas Morning News. Mr. Komiti said Father Klep's superiors in the Salesians of Don Bosco religious order face an immigration inquiry because they also allegedly failed to make the disclosures about Father Klep when he arrived in Samoa. Father Klep was convicted in 1994 of sex offenses during the 1970s against a student at Australia's Salesian College, north of Melbourne, where he had been principal. He was sentenced to nine months of public service. In 1998, Father Klep was sent to the Samoan Mission, despite having been charged by Australian authorities with additional sex offenses. That year, the Australian Federal Police informed Samoan authorities of the priest's background, said Australian Justice Minister Chris Ellison. Samoan officials were investigating how another Salesian priest with a history of sexual abuse also entered the country and whether there was a pattern to the movements.
On Tuesday, leaders of the Salesians of Don Bosco denied allegations that they moved priests accused of sexual abuse from country to country to avoid law enforcement. As part of a series, The News reported Sunday that the Salesians of Don Bosco transferred priests accused of abuse.
Let the Chiefs deal with him.
Cardinal offered sanctuary to admitted molester [Dallas Morning News - 2nd in a series]
Cleric slipped out of U.S., continues to work in Mexico-3rd in a series
Church aid, legal lapses leave cleric free to roam -- 4th in a series
Samoa moves to deport fugitive priest [Follow-up #1 to 4 part series]
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This may be the only light coming out of DMN's nauseating series.
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