Tragedy as 14-Year-Old Dies after Catholic Priest Allegedly Assaults, Locks Him in Parish Store
- A 14-year-old boy, identified as Joseph Kirya, died following an alleged assault by a Catholic priest who also locked him overnight in a parish store
- Father Silver Owori reportedly fled the scene alongside his driver, Robert Gabula, after finding Joseph's lifeless body
- Police confirmed that investigations were ongoing to get to the root of the matter, assuring the public that justice would be served
Residents of Busoga North are reeling in shock after a Catholic priest allegedly assaulted and locked a 14-year-old boy in a store, leading to his death.
Source: Getty Images
The 33-year-old priest surrendered himself to the police days after allegedly fleeing the scene where the boy, identified as Joseph Kirya, was found.
Father Silver Owori of Wesunire Catholic Parish and his driver, Robert Gabula, are currently being held at Buyende Police Station as investigations continue.
Busoga North Police Spokesperson Michael Kasadha, while confirming the arrest, noted that they would continue probing the matter to get to the root of it and apprehend any other persons responsible.
"The father voluntarily came to the regional police offices in Kamuli and was later handed over to Buyende Police to begin investigations. The investigations will determine when the duo will be produced in court, but there is no particular timeline,” Kasadha said in a report by Daily Monitor.
Why did Catholic priest assault Joseph Kirya?
Police reported that they were yet to establish whether Joseph was a visitor at the parish, a student, or even known to the suspects.
According to preliminary reports, Father Silver claimed that UGX 5 million (approximately KSh 180,583) had been stolen from his room on August 1.
He ordered a search for the boy, who was brought before him later that same evening.
The priest allegedly assaulted Joseph and locked him in the parish storage room overnight. Tragically, the teenager passed away.
Upon checking on Joseph the following day, August 2, and finding his lifeless body in the store, Father Silver filed a police report.
Source: UGC
He reported the stolen money and requested that police collect the suspect, but failed to disclose what had transpired with the boy.
When officers arrived at the parish, they went to the store and found the boy already dead.
Joseph’s body was moved to a nearby hospital, where a post-mortem examination was conducted before his family received him for burial.
By the time of publishing, authorities had yet to reveal the official cause of death or the full circumstances surrounding it.
Busoga Catholic priest irks netizens after boy's death
The news of the Catholic priest's alleged cruel action against the teenage boy is now sparking outrage among netizens who are struggling to understand how a man of God could be violent in such a manner.
His alleged acts brought to the fore the age-old discussions on whether Catholic priests are supposed to marry, with many opining that a married father would have the paternal feelings which could prevent such incidents.
Catholic priests take the vow of celibacy to model Christ, who also did not marry.
However, over the years, discussions on whether the celibacy rule should be done away with have become rife.
Here are some of the reactions to the priest's alleged act:
Emmanuel Nyachoti said:
"Priests should be allowed to marry and raise children of their own so that they understand family life. These people believe in the gospel alone without understanding the impact of family love and affection; it's easy to destroy something you didn't feel the effect of building."
Naserian Sarah said:
"Not everyone is called!"
Trazie Martins said:
"The rogue ones are being exposed day by day....he should stop fleeing and come explain what happened."
Why was catholic priest suspended?
In other news, TUKO.co.ke reported that Rev. Fr. Daniel Okanatotor Oghenerukevwe was suspended from priestly duties following allegations of his marriage to Dora Chichah in the United States.
The Catholic Diocese of Warri, Delta State, took action after social media footage of the priest’s wedding surfaced, showing his disregard for canonical procedures.
Fr. Oghenerukevwe was further prohibited from presenting himself as a priest with immediate effect until further notice.
Before his marriage, Fr. Oghenerukevwe had reportedly requested on November 30, 2024, to be released from canonical obligations tied to his priestly vows.
Racheal Nyaguthie, HoD Human Interest, added the section on the Busoga Catholic priest irking netizens.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
