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French priest accused of sexual assaults 17 years after death

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French Roman Catholic priest Abbé Pierre, a celebrated advocate for the homeless, has been accused of sexual assault 17 years after his death. Abbé Pierre, who passed away in January 2007 at the age of 94, is now alleged to have sexually assaulted or harassed seven women between 1970 and 2005. The Emmaus anti-poverty movement, which he founded, revealed the allegations and expressed belief in the women’s testimonies.

“These revelations have shaken our organizations, where the figure of Abbé Pierre plays a major role,” Emmaus stated on its website. “We all know his story and his message. These acts profoundly change the way we regard this man, who was known above all for his struggle against poverty, destitution, and exclusion.” The allegations have tarnished the posthumous reputation of Abbé Pierre, who was widely popular in France during his lifetime, even topping national popularity polls. His movement, Emmaus, has a global presence with hostels in numerous countries.

Following his death, then-President Jacques Chirac described Abbé Pierre as “an immense figure, a conscience, an incarnation of goodness.” Emmaus began investigating the allegations a year ago after receiving an account from a woman claiming to have been sexually assaulted by Abbé Pierre. This led to an inquiry by an external firm, which found six additional cases, including one involving a minor.

Emmaus acknowledged the bravery of the women who came forward, stating, “We believe them, we know that these intolerable acts have left their mark, and we stand by them.” The allegations dominated the headlines of the French press, with many expressing shock at the fall of such a revered figure. Libération, a left-wing newspaper, linked the scandal to the broader issue of the Catholic Church’s silence on sexual abuse, noting that before the MeToo movement, these allegations might have remained unheard.

Emmaus has established a confidential system to collect testimonies from anyone who experienced or witnessed “unacceptable behavior” by Abbé Pierre, offering guidance and support to those who come forward.

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Swedish police chief Mats Lofving found dead after inquiry

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A senior police officer from Sweden was discovered deceased at his house in a case that the police have deemed “very unfortunate.” Regional police commander for Stockholm, Mats Lofving, was only under investigation for choices he allegedly made while dating the former head of police intelligence.

The injured person was reported to the police at Norrkoping, 160 kilometres (100 miles) south-west of Stockholm. They claimed that he could not be saved.

Police had opened a preliminary murder investigation, a spokesman told Swedish media, because it was yet unclear what caused his death.

An outside investigation had already discovered that Lofving, 61, who served as deputy national police chief, had a conflict of interest in several of the choices he made regarding Linda Staaf, the department’s intelligence chief (Noa).

Ms. Staaf has insisted time and time again that her relationship with Lofving was never more than platonic.

Runar Viksten, the special investigator who oversaw the inquiry, found no proof that she and Lofving were dating at the time she was named intelligence chief in 2015.

She received her service weapon from the police chief in 2020, her contract was extended and her pay was increased, and she was also given approval to write a crime fiction.

The investigation discovered that while Lofving’s judgements were neither unjustified nor improper, he shouldn’t have made them.

Lofving said that the conclusions had been challenging to hear on Wednesday to Sweden’s state television. He should either relinquish his position as police chief or resign entirely, according to the study.

Hours before the news of his death broke, Ms. Staaf claimed she was fully suited for the position and felt vindicated because the investigation found that the judgements taken regarding her were correct.

She believed the police authorities might have provided her with more assistance, though. She claimed to have been the target of a “smear campaign” to the Swedish media in December of last year.

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