10-year-old ‘victim’ testifies against MUSEUM catechist, bail still pending

A 10-year-old boy who was allegedly defiled by a MUSEUM catechist while swimming at Bahar ic-Caghaq on Sunday 24 August was today summonsed to court to testify against the catechist.

The boy’s testimony was however heard behind closed doors by order of the criminal court. No ban on the publication of the name of the accused was ordered, while the boy’s name cannot be published because he is a minor and a victim.

As a result of the court ban, journalists were prohibited from entering the court hall.

On Thursday, Anthony Callus, a 46-year-old school assistant and a treasurer of the Society of Christian Doctrine (M.U.S.E.U.M) was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to corrupting and harassing a 10-year-old boy at Bahar ic-Caghaq on Sunday.

Sources close to the case said that an application for bail is currently pending as the criminal court is still awaiting the Attorney General’s reply to the application for bail.

The prosecution, led by inspector Josric Mifsud, has not objected to the bail. This is in stark contrast to the prosecution’s plea during Callus’s arraignment, when the prosecution told the court that bail should not be granted until the main witnesses are heard, and that the granting of bail would be an “obstacle to the administration of justice".

The alleged incident occurred on Sunday 24August, when the accused was swimming at Bahar ic-Caghaq during a MUSEUM event. At some point in time, Callus “grabbed the 10-year-old boy from his waist and lifted him out of the water.” This, according to the prosecution, then led to the accused “slightly brushing the boy’s genitalia.”

Sources close to the case said that the boy was lifted from a deep part of the sea before he fell back in. The accused then lifted the boy again and the boy perceived this as being tantamount to indecent assault.

Moreover, the prosecution told the court that when lifting the boy from the sea, the accused allegedly “used his legs to hold the boy in such a way that the man’s genitals were behind the boy’s buttocks.”

Defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi explained to the court that both his client as well as the alleged victim agree on the version of events, but insisted that while the victim perceived the action as one “leading to abuse,” the accused did not.

“The accused merely helped the boy come out of the water, and the boy perceived this as abuse and indecent assault. Both the alleged victim and my client agree on the sequence of events, but on his part, the boy is saying that his genitalia were brushed by the accused,” Azzopardi said.

Inspector Josric Mifsud prosecuted, while Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi is defence counsel. Magistrate Audrey Demicoli presided.