The Catholic Church’s Archbishop of Rabat, Christopher Lopez Romero, stated that the church is cooperating with Moroccan security authorities following allegations of sexual abuse against minors and refugees by a French priest.
Romero declared to AFP on Tuesday, November 4, that they are “fully cooperating” with both Moroccan and foreign authorities after the accusations against the priest in Casablanca.
His comments followed a report from the site “Inas,” which confirmed that Father Antoine Exelman had been running a “system of sexual exploitation” targeting minors among migrants and refugees for at least four years.
Romero noted, “Upon learning of the incidents, we initiated the necessary procedures according to church laws. We have also fully cooperated with authorities, both in Morocco and abroad, by sharing the results of our investigation.”
The report mentioned a complaint filed against Exelman in May of last year, indicating that the case involves at least six victims, most of whom are from Guinea, with one from Cameroon. Romero stated that the church was only aware of one victim’s case.
The site reported that one victim, a 17-year-old asylum seeker from Guinea, had “regular sexual relations” with the priest for several months before Exelman’s return to France. Authorities in Casablanca have interviewed three of the six alleged victims.
Romero confirmed that “the only known minor victim has been placed under the church’s care,” adding that Exelman is currently under house arrest in France.
The church noted that it has imposed restrictions on the priest, prohibiting any contact with minors without the presence of another adult.
The archbishop revealed that the church received a warning regarding Exelman’s inappropriate behavior in July 2024. The priest had been assigned to the Rabat Diocese since 2016.
In related news, a report in late September indicated that a group of victims of another French priest, Yves Grosjean, who was imprisoned in France for sexual abuse, criticized the “silence” of the dioceses of Dijon and Rabat, accusing church officials of lacking transparency in handling reported abuse cases.
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