Tweet
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/20...67327-sun.html
A jury found a popular pastor guilty of sexually assaulting one woman but acquitted him of assaulting another and exonerated him on four other charges last night.
After three days of deliberations, a jury found that Rev. Frank Seeko Lawrence had assaulted a 29-year-old single mom who said he raped her between five and 10 times.
But the jury cleared him of allegations involving a 45-year-old woman who has a 5-year-old son by him. She alleged being raped at a fresh gravesite in 2001.
Lawrence had impregnated both women.
The 29-year-old woman testified she was sexually exploited by Lawrence when she roomed at his Toronto home from Easter until December in 2003. She testified he manipulated her fears of being cursed and forced her to have sex in order to be exorcised of the demons.
Lawrence denied this, saying the sex was consensual and he never abused his position of trust.
The woman, who has a 3-year-old daughter by Lawrence, and the 45-year-old mother of three made the allegations during a family court battle before DNA paternity tests could be conducted, said Lawrence's lawyer Anthony Robbins.
Lawrence had initially denied paternity.
"These allegations arose out of these family court (disputes)," Robbins said last night outside court.
"He was exonerated of all charges but one. His entire congregation is still behind him. All of his character witnesses said he doesn't abuse his authority, he doesn't practice black magic and doesn't instil fear in parishioners.
"He's respected and admired," Robbins said of his client, the founder and pastor of the Toronto Mount Zion Revival Church of the Apostles.
Court documents revealed that Lawrence, 59, has fathered and financially supported 11 children by six women, paying $1,400 a month out of his $19,600 a monthly salary in 2005. The children ranged from ages 8 to 17, although he didn't support a 22-year-old. Lawrence vowed he "supported all of my children to the best of my ability. I am not in arrears under any court order."
He was married, but separated in 1998.
Robbins said his client will be considering an appeal.
Justice Edward Belobaba will sentence Lawrence on Feb. 28. The pastor remains free on bail.
A jury found a popular pastor guilty of sexually assaulting one woman but acquitted him of assaulting another and exonerated him on four other charges last night.
After three days of deliberations, a jury found that Rev. Frank Seeko Lawrence had assaulted a 29-year-old single mom who said he raped her between five and 10 times.
But the jury cleared him of allegations involving a 45-year-old woman who has a 5-year-old son by him. She alleged being raped at a fresh gravesite in 2001.
Lawrence had impregnated both women.
The 29-year-old woman testified she was sexually exploited by Lawrence when she roomed at his Toronto home from Easter until December in 2003. She testified he manipulated her fears of being cursed and forced her to have sex in order to be exorcised of the demons.
Lawrence denied this, saying the sex was consensual and he never abused his position of trust.
The woman, who has a 3-year-old daughter by Lawrence, and the 45-year-old mother of three made the allegations during a family court battle before DNA paternity tests could be conducted, said Lawrence's lawyer Anthony Robbins.
Lawrence had initially denied paternity.
"These allegations arose out of these family court (disputes)," Robbins said last night outside court.
"He was exonerated of all charges but one. His entire congregation is still behind him. All of his character witnesses said he doesn't abuse his authority, he doesn't practice black magic and doesn't instil fear in parishioners.
"He's respected and admired," Robbins said of his client, the founder and pastor of the Toronto Mount Zion Revival Church of the Apostles.
Court documents revealed that Lawrence, 59, has fathered and financially supported 11 children by six women, paying $1,400 a month out of his $19,600 a monthly salary in 2005. The children ranged from ages 8 to 17, although he didn't support a 22-year-old. Lawrence vowed he "supported all of my children to the best of my ability. I am not in arrears under any court order."
He was married, but separated in 1998.
Robbins said his client will be considering an appeal.
Justice Edward Belobaba will sentence Lawrence on Feb. 28. The pastor remains free on bail.
Comment