Father Delgado Sentenced to 30 Years Jail (Popular Costa Rican Priest Gets 30 Years For Pederasty)

Inside Costa Rica ^ | 29 April 2005

[trane250]

Father Delgado Sentenced to 30 Years Jail

"This tribunal in the name of the Republic and the law, declares Enrique Delgado Quirós, known as father Enrique, responsible for six counts of sexual abuse against minors..." were the words of the president of the tribunal, Luis Aguilar, at the conclusion of the trial against the priest.

Delgado was sentenced to 30 years of prison time, but will only serve out 21 years under the rules, less the six months time he spent in preventive detention.

The members of the tribunal who presided over the trial believed the testimony offered by three young boys who were abused by the priest, who told the judges that they were victims of abuse by the priest back in 2002.

In reading the sentence, the president of the tribunal narrated some of the acts against the boys, which the court took for fact.

Delgado will also have to pay ¢7.8 million colones (us$16,500 dollars) for pain and suffering.

The tribunal took about 90 minutes to read the sentence and justifications before ordering prison agents to take Delgado into custody, where he would be held in the court jail until today where he will be admitted into the prison system.

Supporters and followers of Delgado who have been by his side trough trial left the courtroom in tears.

Delgado had attracted hordes of followers as the host of a popular televised prayer session.

The 50-year-old priest, whose prayer show was one of the most-watched TV programs in the country, has always denied the charges and said his accusers were trying to persecute the Church.

The Catholic Church worldwide has been hit by an endless stream of child abuse allegations over the past few years. Pronouncing its verdict, the Costa Rican court accused the Catholic Church of trying to block the charges against Delgado.

Delgado's lawyer said he would appeal the verdict.

[trane250]

News of priestly child abuse never seems to end.

[stevem]

I wonder if he is guilty. If so, 21 years seems like a light sentence. If not, is there another agenda here?

[Ramonchito]

The decision of the court is not yet final since it is on appeal.

[Americanexpat]

The church has been around in Latin and South America a lot longer than it has in the US. Some how a lot of folks this was a problem only in America.

My wife comes from a small village, Panama, a few miles from the Costa Rican border. They went to church all the time but her mother never left her alone with that particular priest.

And just think we have made it even easier for pedophiles to get at our children in our society.