Tanzania priest arrested in US over prostitution

[nngu007]

[h=1]
By MKINGA MKINGA and Agencies | Tuesday, December 16 2014 at 11:07[/h]

A Catholic Church priest from Tanzania's Bukoba Diocese assigned to an east Mesa church in the US is among five suspects arrested by police in an operation that targeted suspects of prostitution involving underage girls.

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He was arrested on Friday after Mesa police detectives posed as 16-year-old girls and advertised their services on a website known for trading in prostitution.

A statement released by the police said, men were supposed to come to a Mesa motel at a predetermined time to meet with prostitutes for sex.

Reached for comment, Bukoba Diocese Bishop Desderius Rwoma admitted to have received reports of the arrest of the priest.

He said, the priest was in the US for doctoral studies.

However, Bishop Rwoma desisted from commenting on the issue pending confirmation of the incident.

Our juveniles

“I can confirm to have heard about the arrest but I cannot comment further because we are yet to check and establish what actually happened,” he told The Citizen over the phone.

According to Mesa police, when the men agreed to have sex with the supposed prostitutes, even after being told they were 16, police arrested them on suspicion of child prostitution.

Detective Steve Berry, a Mesa police spokesman noted that the suspects include the 49-year-old Tanzania clergy.

“When you have people who are willing to prey upon our juveniles, those are some of the worse people in our society,” Mr Berry said.

He said someone who was willing to have sex with a 16-year-old might be willing to victimise even younger children.

Mr Rob DeFrancesco, a spokesman for the diocese, said they learnt about the arrest on Friday afternoon.

The priest’s faculties have been removed, meaning that he is barred from public ministry, he said.




source: AfricaReview

 

[PACHOTO]

Anakula vikondoo vyake

 

[Chilli]

Hawa watu waruhusiwe kuoa sasa.

 

[Mu7]

Hawa watu waruhusiwe kuoa sasa.

Ni wangapi kwani? Si mmja au una makengeza?

 

[kijani11]

Kazi ipo...

 

[MK254]

Duh! majanga CC: kadoda11

 

[Chilli]

Ni wangapi kwani? Si mmja au una makengeza?

Unajidai husikii wanachofanya? Mara padri kabaka mke wa mtu, kalawiti nk.

 

[Ngarna]

Hawaachi asili.Tatizo huwezi ukahonga tatizo likatoweka.

 

[Mu7]

Unajidai husikii wanachofanya? Mara padri kabaka mke wa mtu, kalawiti nk.

Tunaongelea huyu wa huko US. Sasa kosa la huyo mmoja ndo limekuwa sababu ya kuconlude hivyo kwa wote!! Sawa, ngoja nikubaliane na maoni yako lakini niambie, mbona nyie mnaoruhusiwa kuoa bado mmeshindwa kuwa waaminifu kwa wenzi wenu na mna michepukp kibao nje? Na nyie tusemeje?

 

[Gagnija]

Unajidai husikii wanachofanya? Mara padri kabaka mke wa mtu, kalawiti nk.

Mbona mtaani kuna watu wameoa na bado wanafanya hayo!

 

[Ndahani]

Baada ya Cardinal Rugambwa, kanisa lilijengwa juu ya kitu gani? Kuna yule aliyebaka akafia Msumbiji...kuna wengine wanakula hela za Escrow...na huyu naye anachezea watoto! I mean something very wrong somewhere!

 

[Genekai]

Hawa watu waruhusiwe kuoa sasa.

Na waliooa bado wanashindwa kuwa waaminifu kwenye ndoa zao tuwafanyeje? Hujawahi kuzini wewe? Sema tu hukukamatwa!!

Sent from my iPhone using JamiiForums app

 

[Chilli]

Mbona mtaani kuna watu wameoa na bado wanafanya hayo!

Sijasema hawatachepuka, nasema itapunguza.

 

[Chilli]

Tunaongelea huyu wa huko US. Sasa kosa la huyo mmoja ndo limekuwa sababu ya kuconlude hivyo kwa wote!! Sawa, ngoja nikubaliane na maoni yako lakini niambie, mbona nyie mnaoruhusiwa kuoa bado mmeshindwa kuwa waaminifu kwa wenzi wenu na mna michepukp kibao nje? Na nyie tusemeje?

Hapa hatuzungumzii uaminifu, tunazungumzia hawa mapadri wanaokula viapo ambavyo hawawezi kuvitekeleza

 

[Mu7]

Hapa hatuzungumzii uaminifu, tunazungumzia hawa mapadri wanaokula viapo ambavyo hawawezi kuvitekeleza

Unaongea nini sasa. Mbona unajichanganya? Nini maana ya uaminifu? Wewe mwenye ndoa ukidunga mchepuko umekosa uaminifu kwa ndoa yako. Na yeye mwenye kiapo cha useja (kutooa) anakosa uaminifu kwa kiapo chake. Nani mwenye nafuu hapo? Ni sawa na serikali inapomnyonga mtu ati kwa sababu aliua mtu fulani. Wote ni wauaji tu, hakuna mwenye nafuu hapo!

 

[nyumba kubwa]

Hivi Gwajima ana mke? Am just thinking...

 

[nyumba kubwa]

Watu wakiongelea kiapo wanasahau kuwa wana ndoa pia waliapa....wasamehe bure....
Wanadhani kwao kufanya dhambi ni okay...ila mapadri wa behave kama malaika sababu wao si binadamu...

Unaongea nini sasa. Mbona unajichanganya? Nini maana ya uaminifu? Wewe mwenye ndoa ukidunga mchepuko umekosa uaminifu kwa ndoa yako. Na yeye mwenye kiapo cha useja (kutooa) anakosa uaminifu kwa kiapo chake. Nani mwenye nafuu hapo? Ni sawa na serikali inapomnyonga mtu ati kwa sababu aliua mtu fulani. Wote ni wauaji tu, hakuna mwenye nafuu hapo!

 

[Mwanamayu]

Labda alitaka kumpatia huyo dada Neno la wokovu ili aachane na ushetani!!

 

[Ikengya]

Habari Kamili.


A Catholic priest from Holy Cross parish in Mesa was one of five men arrested on the charge of child prostitution, Mesa police said.
Mesa Police Department conducted operation "Buyer Beware" on Thursday, Dec. 11, with undercover detectives posing as underage females. During the operation, five suspects responded to the designated location to pay for sex with who they believed was a 16-year-old female, according to a press release from Detective Steve Berry, MPD public information officer.
Suspects transported and booked on the charge of child prostitution. 13-3212.B.2, a class 2 felony, were: Eric Mohren, 34; Christopher Sherman, 48; Solomon Bandiho, 49; Jose Flores-Nunez, 31; and Santiago Robles, 26.
“The suspects arrested ranged in age from 26 to 49 years old. Subsequent to the arrest, all of the suspects admitted that they knew they were coming to the location to have sex with a 16-year-old female. Through the investigation, it was also learned that Solomon Bandiho is a Catholic priest at a local parish in Mesa," Detective Berry said in the release. “Crimes involving children are of the highest priority for the Mesa Police Department. Operations of this type have shown time and again to be successful and remove dangerous child predators from our community,” he said in the release.
Suspect Bandiho was appointed parochial administrator of Holy Cross Parish in Mesa effective July 31, according to The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix website. The church is at 1244 S. Power Road, according to the church's website.
The following statement was posted at the Diocese of Phoenix website at The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix “We learned this afternoon that Mesa Police arrested Fr. Solomon Bandiho on suspicion of child prostitution. His priestly faculties have been removed and he is prohibited from public ministry. We are not aware of any additional claims of sexual misconduct involving Fr. Bandiho. Fr. Bandiho is a doctoral student from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley. He was on a work-study program as part of his studies and assigned to Holy Cross Parish in Mesa, where he has served as administrator of the parish since July 2014. He has also assisted at St. Helen Parish in Glendale. He is a priest of the Diocese of Bukoba in Tanzania. The Diocese of Phoenix performs background checks, including fingerprinting on all priests who are given assignments in its parishes and institutions. No previous allegations or criminal activity were indicated in a background check. He comes with the recommendation and letter of good standing from his own bishop as well. We are cooperating with the law enforcement investigation. If you have any information regarding this matter, please contact the Mesa Police Department at 480-644-3147. It is important to remember that this is an ongoing police matter. Therefore, we cannot comment on the details of the criminal case so as to avoid interfering with any police investigations. The Diocese of Phoenix is committed to providing a safe environment where it values and honors every individual as created in the image and likeness of God. Great efforts have been made to put systems into place to keep our young people safe. Anyone who has been a victim of abuse or who may have information concerning these crimes is encouraged to call a local law enforcement agency. Additionally, the Diocese of Phoenix provides support services through its Office of Child and Youth Protection at 602-354-2396 or at diocesephoenix.org (click on “Youth Protection”),” according to the statement.

Anakula vikondoo vyake

 

[muhomakilo jr]

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