Judge Kenya Romero of the 7th Court of Instruction of the National District has set a date, 2 September 2014, for a hearing for presentation of evidence against former papal nuncio Josef Wesolowski, who is accused of pedophilia. Earlier this year the Vatican announced that the priest was defrocked, thus losing his diplomatic immunity. This would enable Wesolowski to stand trial in a jurisdiction outside of the Vatican.
National District prosecutors have requested approval to hold interviews with victims and witnesses in the case. Wesolowski is accused of bribing underage boys for sexual acts near the Plaza Montesinos in Santo Domingo. Two mothers have presented accusations in the case of two of the boys.
Francisco Dominguez Brito, the Dominican Republic’s attorney general, issued a statement saying it was “just and positive” for the Vatican to remove Wesolowski’s immunity and that the country would consider seeking the former archbishop’s extradition so he could stand trial here. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi says that the former priest can now respond to the crimes of which he is accused in civilian courts.
As reported in Listin Diario, the case occurs in the context of a request for international cooperation coming from the office of Warsaw prosecutor Ryszard Rogatko, who is also investigating the former nuncio.
Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito said that his office has not requested Wesolowski’s extradition because the Dominican Republic does not have an extradition treaty with Poland, country of citizenship of Wesolowski.
Meanwhile, in a related case, the Warsaw prosecution notified Dominican authorities of the extension of preventive custody until 17 November 2014 for Wojciech Waldemar Gil, known here as father Alberto Gil, who is accused of sexually abusing underage boys in Juncalito, Santiago province. Gil is accused in his native Poland of violation of Art. 200 Paragraph I of the Polish Penal Code.
Investigative TV reporters in the Dominican Republic first revealed Gil’s suspected abusive practices and also documented his relationship with the papal nuncio. When they realized that the journalists on their trail, both Gil and Wesolowski left the country before they could be questioned about their activities.
Both Gil and Wesolowski are likely to be tried in Poland.
Read more in Spanish:
http://lainformacion.com.do/noticias/nacion/27830/procuraduria-no-ha-solicitado-extradicion-de-wesolowski
Autoridades de Polonia informan extensión de prisión contra padre Alberto Gil