NOPD confirms rape investigation involving Catholic priest named in lawsuit
The probe follows a November complaint against Rev. John Asare-Dankwah
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Updated: 6:19 PM CST Feb 1, 2021
The probe follows a November complaint against Rev. John Asare-Dankwah
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Updated: 6:19 PM CST Feb 1, 2021
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INVOLVING IN NEW ORLEANS PRIEST NAMED IN A LAWSUIT THAT SAYS THAT HE RAPED AND BEAT A 10 YEAR OLD BOY CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER GREG LAROSE TELLS US THE NOPD CONFIRMED TO WDSU TODAY THAT IT IS INVESTIGATING CLAIMS AGAINST FATHER JOHN A SARI DONKWA. WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS WAS DETAILED IN A LAWSUIT FILED LAST WEEK. THE PLAINTIFF SAYS FATHER JOHN ASARI DANKWA RAPED AND BEAT HIM 13 YEARS AGO DURING A RELIGIOUS RETREAT IN ALABAMA THE NOPD CONFIRMS THE ALLEGED VICTIM CONTACTED POLICE LAST NOVEMBER WE’VE OBTAINED THAT POLICE REPORT AND IT RAISES MORE QUESTIONS. THE POLICE REPORT DOESN’T MENTION ASARI’S NAME OR THAT A PRIEST WAS BEING ACCUSED. SAYS THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN OCTOBER 2008 WHILE THE LAWSUITS NARRATIVE STARTS IN JANUARY OF THAT YEAR. THERE ARE NO DETAILS IN THE ALLEGED CRIMES LOCATION OR INDICATIONS THAT OUTSIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS CONTACTED DEPENDING ON WHERE THAT CRIME SCENE IS. THEY’RE STILL MAY BE EVIDENCE THERE THAT COULD BE DNA AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. MIKE CON IS A FORMER. NOPD INVESTIGATOR WHO’S NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CASE MOST CLERGY ABUSE CASES INVOLVE EVENTS THAT OCCUR DECADES AGO AND OFTEN SUSPECTS ARE SAYS WHO ARE NO LONGER ALIVE. WE ASKED CON HOW THIS CASE WITH MORE RECENT ALLEGATIONS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. THERE’S ALWAYS DNA EVIDENCE THAT CAN COME BACK INTO PLAY AND THEY SOLVE FULL CASES FROM 30 YEARS AGO SOMETIMES WITH THAT THE REPORT DOESN’T SAY IF CHURCH OFFICIALS WERE CONTACTED BUT CONN SAYS DETECTIVES WOULDN’T TYPICALLY REACH OUT WHEN AN ACCUSATION IS MADE AGAINST A PRIEST FIRST. HE SAID FACTS HAVE TO BE GATHERED IN MORE EVIDENCE COULD SURFACE OVER TIME. THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE IT IN THAT LONG AGO YOU WOULD WANT TO AGAIN FIND OUT WHAT LOCATIONS WERE USED AND THEN PUT IT OUT THERE AND SEE IF THERE ANY OTHER VICTIMS OF POTENTIAL CRIMES FROM THE SAME PERPETRATOR OTHER PEOPLE MAKE FEW MORE COMFORTABLE COMING FORWARD AT THIS POINT IN RESPONSE TO OUR QUESTIONS THE NOPD PROVIDED A STATEMENT THAT SAYS INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS ANY THAT OCCURRED IN ORLEANS PARISH WILL BE FULLY INVESTIGATED. THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEW ORLEANS HAS SAID A SORRY IS OUT OF THE COUNTRY IN GHANA. WE ASKED IF THEY KNEW WHEN HE LEFT OR WAS COMING BACK AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS QUOTE A PLANNED AND SCHEDULED FAMILY VACATION. NO DATES WERE GIVEN FOR HIS DEPARTURE OR HIS RETURN. FOR WDSU INVESTIGATES. I’M GREG LAROSE. AND WE HAVE MORE IN THE STORY RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEB