A Catholic diocese in Pakistan has dropped its criminal case against a priest and helped him secure bail after the priest apologized and withdrew allegations against his bishop.
The District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad, central Pakistan, granted bail to Father Naveed Thomas on Sept. 20, almost a month after he was arrested.
The bail was possible after diocesan officials and Thomas agreed to a “mutual settlement” and decided to drop all allegations against each other, said Reverend Emric Joseph, a Presbyterian pastor, who provided legal support to Thomas.
Joseph told UCA News on Sept. 24 that he decided to intervene to prevent “further damage to the Church” as “church scandals” have put the Christian community in Pakistan “in poor light.”
Allegations began to surface in February after a Catholic family complained that Thomas raped their 19-year-old, teen girl and impregnated her.
The complaint forced Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad to remove Thomas from pastoral duties in February.
Following his removal, Thomas demanded compensation from the bishop equivalent to US$12,500 for spreading false information to vilify and tarnish his image.
In a social media post, Thomas also accused the bishop of being a homosexual. He also accused the bishop and other priests of corruption, including financial irregularities.
UCA news
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