priest

The court in The Hague has sentenced a 77-year-old Hindu priest to eighteen months in prison, six months of which are suspended. The court considers it proven that he abused a woman in her home in The Hague during a ritual, Omroep West reports. She had sought his help because of health problems.

The man from Lelystad has been a Hindu priest for 35 years. In May 2020, he visited the victim at her home in The Hague for a second treatment. Her first meeting with him went well, the woman says. She had confidence in the priest, also because he was an acquaintance of her mother.

According to the woman, however, things went completely wrong during the second treatment. The priest would have touched her breasts and her vagina during the ritual. The Hindu priest also forbade her to say ‘no’ to his touches.

At the hearing two weeks ago, the man denied the abuse in the house in The Hague. “I was not there, I was at home,” said the suspect. However, the court showed him a recording of the woman’s parking app, which showed that he had indeed parked his car in the victim’s street on the day in question.

On Thursday, the court called the victim’s statement reliable. “There is no reason to doubt her,” said the judge. The judge ruled that the priest was guilty of rape because he penetrated her genitals with his fingers.

In addition to the prison sentence of eighteen months, the priest also received a professional ban for three years. The sentence imposed is the same as the sentence demanded by the Public Prosecution Service.

In addition, the priest must pay the victim compensation of 7500 euros.