Sexual assault trial begins for Saskatoon Ukrainian Catholic priest

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Last March, a 13-year-old woman instructed police {that a} Saskatoon priest hugged and kissed her on the lips whereas she was alone in a room at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral within the metropolis’s Pleasant Hill neighbourhood.

She mentioned Father Janko Kolosnjaji then instructed her she had “beautiful eyes” as she walked away.

The woman, whose identification is protected by a compulsory publication ban, made her video-recorded police assertion in Ukrainian on March 17, 2023. A court-approved translator is decoding her assertion throughout Kolosnjaji’s sexual assault trial, which started Monday in Saskatoon provincial courtroom.

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He is represented by defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle.

The woman, now 15, listened from a separate room within the courthouse as her assertion was performed in courtroom. She instructed courtroom every little thing she mentioned throughout the interview was the reality. Judge Lua Gibb adopted her assertion as proof on the trial.

Kolosnjaji, 70, was charged on April 19, 2023 and launched on a recognizance. He was suspended from his position within the church shortly after, and pleaded not guilty a month later.

Court heard the woman was serving to her mother clear the church on March 11, 2023. She mentioned she was alone in a cleansing provides room when Kolosnjaji appeared and requested if she wished a hug.

She mentioned she didn’t say something however hugged him as a result of “It was like a silly habit.” She instructed police her head was down, so Kolosnjaji lifted her chin towards him and kissed her on the lips. 

She mentioned she felt very uncomfortable and walked away. He then complimented her eyes and he or she thanked him as a result of she couldn’t absolutely comprehend what had occurred, she mentioned. 

Later, she mentioned she noticed Kolosnjaji speaking to her mother. 

“He waved at me with a certain smile, as if he was very happy about what had occurred,” the woman instructed police.

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The woman mentioned she instructed her mother what had occurred and her mother was shocked however mentioned they need to keep and end the work. She mentioned she began to cry they usually left. They went to the police station the following day.

She mentioned Kolosnjaji referred to as her mother and requested why they left. She mentioned she heard her mother inform him they went for groceries. Later, her mom went to the church to speak to Kolosnjaji. She mentioned her mom returned dwelling and instructed her that he wished to see her and apologize.

“I felt very depressed, very confused inside, I wasn’t sure what to do, what to think,” the woman mentioned.

She instructed the officer that when Kolosnjaji first began asking for hugs, she thought he was a priest so “what bad could happen?”

“So who’s around when he hugs you?” the officer requested.

“Nobody,” she replied in English.

She clarified that she initially thought it was a part of a “simple greeting” as she entered the church to scrub on Saturdays, however she questioned why he would solely hug her, and never her different members of the family, whereas she was alone in numerous rooms.

“He would say, ‘Let’s hug. Give me a hug,’ ” the woman mentioned, including that she not often checked out Kolosnjaji when he put his fingers on her again throughout the hugs.

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She instructed the officer she stored her head down as a result of she wasn’t snug hugging a priest. She expanded that she doesn’t like hugging individuals, particularly older males.

When Kolosnjaji kissed her, he raised her head with one hand and stored the opposite on her again, she mentioned.

“I would say there was no passion,” she added when requested how lengthy it lasted.

The officer then requested how she felt when he kissed her.

“Uncomfortable and broken,” she replied.

She mentioned she instructed her mother she didn’t need to work there anymore as a result of she was afraid it will occur once more, and didn’t know if he meant to rape her.

During her testimony, the woman instructed Crown prosecutor Sheryl Fillo that her mom was by no means round when the accused hugged her, and he or she by no means noticed him hug her brother, who generally got here alongside whereas they cleaned.

The trial is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday.

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