Metro
Ex-Pope Benedict XVI asks for forgiveness over sex abuse scandal
Ex-pope Benedict XVI asked for forgiveness Tuesday for clerical child sex abuse committed on his watch, but aides rejected allegations of a cover-up while he was archbishop of Munich.
“I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness,” the 94-year-old said in a letter published by the Vatican.
The letter from the former pontiff — who stepped down in 2013 — was released in response to a German inquiry last month that criticised his handling of cases involving paedophile priests in the 1980s.
“I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate,” he wrote.
However, organisations representing abuse victims criticised the lack of specifics in his comments.
German group Eckiger Tisch said Benedict continued a Catholic Church tradition of declaring that “there were acts and faults, but no one takes concrete responsibility”.
Last month’s German investigation accused the former pope of knowingly failing to stop four priests accused of child sex abuse when he was archbishop of Munich between 1977 and 1982.
Benedict, who is in frail health, asked a team of aides to help him respond to the lengthy findings by law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl (WSW), charged by the archdiocese of Munich and Freising to examine abuse between 1945 and 2019.
The aides insisted in an accompanying statement Tuesday that “as an archbishop, Cardinal Ratzinger was not involved in any cover-up of acts of abuse”, using the pope’s birth name, Joseph Ratzinger.
Not Aware
In one case, a now-notorious paedophile priest named Peter Hullermann was transferred to Munich from Essen in western Germany where he had been accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy.
Benedict’s team has already admitted to unintentionally giving incorrect information to the report authors when they denied his attendance at a meeting about Hullermann in 1980.
But they denied any decision had been taken at that meeting about reassigning the priest to pastoral duties, and on Tuesday said the abuse had not been discussed.
“In none of the cases analysed by the expert report was Joseph Ratzinger aware of sexual abuse committed or suspicion of sexual abuse committed by priests. The expert report provides no evidence to the contrary,” the statement said.
In his letter, Benedict expressed hurt that the “oversight” over his attendance at the 1980 meeting “was used to cast doubt on my truthfulness, and even to label me a liar”.
Benedict, who lives in a former monastery within the Vatican walls, said he was grateful “for the confidence, support and prayer that Pope Francis personally expressed to me”.
Francis has said nothing in public although the Vatican defended Benedict last month, noting his meetings with abuse victims and introduction of laws to combat paedophilia.
Fear and Trembling
Before becoming pope, Benedict led the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation, giving him ultimate responsibility to investigate abuse cases.
In his letter, he spoke of “confession”, saying that every day, he asked himself whether he was guilty of “a most grievous fault”, using the phrase said during confession at Mass.
“In all my meetings… with victims of sexual abuse by priests, I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault,” he wrote.
“I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen.”
But his comments fell short of what the SNAP survivors network said was required.
“The opportunity for cleansing (that) the report out of Munich offered has been squandered,” it said, condemning Benedict’s “lack of candour”.
Benedict finished his letter observing that “quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life”.
“As I look back on my long life, I can have great reason for fear and trembling,” he wrote.
But he was nevertheless “of good cheer” as he prepared to “pass confidently through the dark door of death”.
Tragedy struck Oda Community in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State after a 38-year-old man was arrested by the police for allegedly killing his biological father during a violent domestic dispute.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the arrest in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh.
According to the police, the incident began as a heated disagreement between the father and son before it escalated into a physical confrontation that turned deadly.
“During the confrontation, the deceased reportedly sustained severe injuries, particularly to the head. He was immediately rushed to a medical facility for urgent attention,” Jimoh said.
Despite efforts by medical personnel to save his life, the father was confirmed dead by the attending doctor while receiving treatment.
The police spokesperson disclosed that the matter was formally reported to the police by another son of the deceased, identified as Daniel Moses, who is also a brother to the suspect.
“Following a formal complaint lodged at the police station by one Daniel Moses, a son of the deceased and brother to the suspect, detectives promptly commenced investigation into the matter. Acting swiftly on the report, police operatives apprehended the suspect and took him into custody for questioning,” the statement added.
Jimoh further confirmed that the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary, while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation.
He added that the suspect remains in custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the abduction of Mrs Busayo Adelabu John-Paul, a younger sister of a former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and her 12-year-old twin sons by suspected gunmen in Ibadan.
The opposition party, while expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the state, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to work more closely with security agencies and relevant stakeholders to stem the growing wave of kidnappings and violent crimes.
Mrs John-Paul was reportedly abducted on Wednesday alongside her twin sons at the Elewura area of Challenge, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Sources said the victims were travelling from their residence when armed men, who allegedly trailed their vehicle, intercepted them around 7:30am and whisked them away to an unknown destination.
Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the APC described the abduction as disturbing, particularly at a time when residents were already anxious over unresolved kidnapping cases involving schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, as well as two members of staff of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in the Idi-Ayunre area of Oluyole Local Government Area.
The party warned that insecurity in the state was assuming an alarming dimension and urged authorities at all levels to urgently strengthen the security architecture to protect lives and property.
“We use this medium to appeal to the relevant authorities at the federal, state and local government levels to take a critical look at the security architecture of Oyo State with a view to tightening all loose ends and ensuring maximum protection of lives and property of citizens regardless of their background, economic or socio-political status,” the statement read.
The APC also demanded the immediate rescue of all victims currently in captivity, including the Oriire school abductees, the two CRIN workers, Mrs Busayo John-Paul and her children.
“We demand immediate rescue of all Oriire school abductees, two CRIN staff, Mrs Busayo John-Paul and her children, as well as others who are in captivity at the moment,” the party stated.
The opposition party further urged Governor Makinde and security agencies to intensify efforts to curb the rising spate of kidnappings and violent attacks across the state.
“No citizen deserves to live in perpetual fear and anxiety as it is the situation with residents of Oyo State at the moment. We call on Governor Makinde to seek help where necessary so that the situation does not degenerate further. As it stands, nobody is safe anywhere in the state and it has never been this bad,” the statement added.
The Imo State Police Command has arrested three students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), over the alleged killing of a 21-year-old undergraduate, Chinedu Chibuzor Christogonus, following accusations that he stole N13,500.
The victim, a 100-level Cyber Security student and member of the university’s Man O’ War organisation, reportedly died after he was allegedly assaulted by fellow members of the group.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, disclosed this in a statement, saying preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased was allegedly restrained and severely assaulted, resulting in fatal injuries.
According to the police, the suspects are Chukwuemeka Benedict, 21; Kelechi Gospel Ikenna, 24; and Obioma Anastasia, 21, all 500-level students of the institution.
Okoye said the victim was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, after the incident but was confirmed dead by medical personnel.
He said, “Preliminary investigation reveals that the deceased, a 100-level student of Cyber Security and a member of the Man O’ War organisation in FUTO, was allegedly subjected to severe assault by some members of the organisation following an accusation of theft involving the sum of N13,500.
“Initial findings indicate that the deceased was allegedly restrained and assaulted, resulting in critical injuries.
He was subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel.”
The police spokesman disclosed that the arrests were made on the directive of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Audu Garba Bosso, shortly after the incident was reported.
He added that relevant evidence had been recovered, while the victim’s remains had been deposited in a morgue pending autopsy.
Okoye further stated that the commissioner had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Owerri for a comprehensive investigation.
Bosso, according to the statement, directed investigators to identify and question all persons linked to the incident, warning that anyone found culpable would face prosecution.
The police commissioner assured the deceased’s family, the university community and residents of a thorough and professional investigation, insisting that no suspect would be shielded regardless of status.
He urged residents to remain calm while investigations continue, reiterating the command’s commitment to ensuring justice for the deceased.
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