A gavel sits on a desk before the a meeting of the House Justice and Human Rights Committee in Ottawa, Wednesday February 13, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld ORG XMIT: ajw105
Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Paul Mukendi, a pastor at the Parole de Vie evangelical church, was found guilty of nine counts related to sexual assault and abuse at Quebec City’s Palais de justice on Saturday.The plaintiff, a 31-year-old woman, accused Mukendi of sexually assaulting her for a period of 14 years, from 2002 to 2016. According to the plaintiff, when she was 14, her mother “gave her as an offering” to the pastor, who repeatedly engaged in sexual relations with her. Conversely, the defence claims the victim is “motivated by financial gain” and fabricated the entire story.Mukendi’s trial began on June 4. The pastor was found guilty by a jury of four women and seven men. The jurors had been sequestered for five days; during this time, other women came forward with their own claims about being sexually abused by Mukendi.While Mukendi’s lawyer requested that he be released pending his sentence, Judge Jean-François Émond opted for immediate detention.Mukendi’s sentencing is scheduled to take place in September. After the conviction, the defence announced its intention to appeal the jury’s decision.dsucar@postmedia.comRelated