Father Antonios, the founder of the Ark of the World, was released with restrictive terms after his lengthy apology for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor.

The cleric, who was accused by a 15-year-old ward in NGO structures and a 19-year-old former ward, submitted a lengthy memorandum with his positions to the investigating magistrate, while his apology and the entire process lasted for over eight hours.

The investigating magistrate and the prosecutor deemed that the cleric could be released, imposing a travel ban, requiring him to appear once a month at a Police Department, and setting a bail of 10,000 euros.

The defendant seems to have cast doubts on the judicial officer, suggesting that the allegations brought against him serve other purposes, and he attempted to refute the indictment drafted against him.

After the lengthy apology of the cleric, which followed the submission of a lengthy memorandum with his positions, his wife, who had been part of the NGO’s administration for years, also testified before the judicial officer. In total, Father Antonios has proposed twenty witnesses to testify in his defense.

According to information, the defendant not only denied the accusation but also claimed that the two accusers are unreliable. Regarding the minor, the defendant alleges that the witness changed his statement before the judicial officer.

Additionally, concerning the 19-year-old, Father Antonios seems to suggest that he may have had ulterior motives to turn against him. The defense of the cleric appears to include video evidence that he submitted to the judicial officer, from which, according to the defendant, it is apparent that on the day of the alleged incident of sexual abuse, the alleged victim and the cleric were not in the same place.

Father Antonios invokes at least five individuals housed in the Ark of the World who have testified that the 19-year-old approached them with the intention of asking them to accuse the defendant.

According to information, the cleric was questioned by the investigating magistrate about the reasons he believes the 19-year-old “set him up.”

The defendant, referring to the “deviant behaviour” of the alleged victim, seems to rely on photographic material from which, according to the cleric, it emerges that the 19-year-old had a “luxurious lifestyle” after the accusation.

Source: ANA-MPA