Gozo Curia extends deadline on child abuse probe

Matthew Vella
An investigation into child abuse allegations is still ongoing at the Gozo Curia, after the invesigating commission that was expected to present its conclusions in June asked for an extension of its time-frame.
Newly-appointed Bishop Mario Grech set up the commission back on 24 April to investigate whether or not there was new information about allegations of child abuse made in 1999.
The cases had originally been investigated by a commission set up by Grech’s predecessor Bishop Nikol Cauchi, which claimed that the allegations were unfounded. Grech set up the new commission af­ter the same accusations featured on Bondiplus earlier this year.
A spokesperson for the Gozo Curia confirmed the inquiry was still in pro­cess because the Commission had asked for an extension of its deadline. “The public is to be assured that the Church authorities will act upon the conclusions of the commission’s final report,” the spokesperson said.
The commission was originally expected to conclude its findings by 24 June, two months after Grech’s swift creation of the inquiry.

mvella@mediatoday.com.mt