chargement...
A French priest accused of sexually assaulting minor and young adult migrants in Casablanca is now under preliminary investigation in France, AFP reported on Thursday.
According to Anne Gaches, the prosecutor of Saint-Étienne, Antoine Exelmans, 60, attempted to defend himself by claiming the acts were «freely consented».
Exelmans is suspected of having sexual relations with migrants and refugees under his care, including a minor, while serving in Rabat and Casablanca, where he was assigned by the Diocese of Rennes from 2016 to 2024.
After returning to France in summer 2024, he was questioned by police in July. He told investigators that the alleged acts took place between 2020 and 2024, insisting they had «always been freely consented».
The case became public in early November of this year after Moroccan outlet Enass reported what it described as a «sexual exploitation system» allegedly set up by the priest. A canonical investigation ordered by the Archdiocese of Rabat, later forwarded to French authorities, indicated that Exelmans «may have had sexual relations with adults and a minor over 15» met through his assistance work with migrants.
Because the available evidence is «too imprecise and not subject to contradiction», the Saint-Étienne prosecutor’s office has requested international judicial cooperation from Morocco.
The Archbishop of Rabat said on November 4 that he had launched an internal investigation and had been alerted as early as July 2024 about Exelmans’ behavior «in the service of young migrants», raising fears of «abuse of vulnerable people». According to the same source, the priest is also the subject of a complaint filed in May 2024 with the Casablanca prosecutor’s office, citing at least six alleged victims, mostly from Guinea and one from Cameroon.
The Diocese of Saint-Étienne confirmed that since September 2024, Exelmans has been staying in a Jesuit community and is under a strict ban on exercising ministry.
