Priest wanted in Germany to face child sex abuse charges
During the court case Kerkhoff found refuge in a Catholic diocese in eShowe.
THE German Catholic priest hosted by the eShowe Catholic Diocese and arrested in September on an international warrant, Georg Kerkhoff, has been cleared for extradition to Germany.
This was the outcome of protracted court proceedings by a judge of the Regional Court in Brits on Tuesday.
The priest is wanted in Germany for the sexual abuse of children, a court official said.
Kerkhoff could be sent home to face charges if the South African justice minister approves the judicial decision.
The cleric, aged in his 50s, remains in detention awaiting the decision of the minister, which should be made within 72 hours, said the clerk of the court.
He was granted R5 000 bail in September last year on condition he remained in Kwazulu-Natal.
Kerkhoff comes from Aachen in Germany and was sought for alleged paedophilia.
It is believed he made a new start in South Africa, but has been accused of relapsing.
Four boys, then aged nine and 10 years, who attended a German-language Catholic youth camp near Johannesburg in 2008, complained about offers to sleep in the priest’s bed and inappropriate fondling.
During the court case Kerkhoff found refuge in a Catholic diocese in eShowe.
At the time of his arrest, Archbishop William Slattery, speaking on behalf of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said the church did not invite nor appoint him to work for the church.
He had apparently come to South Africa with some cases pending in Germany.
