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Jury selection next in Michigan priest’s assault trial

Posted at 6:23 AM, Jul 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-18 06:23:01-04

ROGERS CITY, Mich. (AP) — Jury selection is starting in the trial of a Roman Catholic priest who is accused of sexually assaulting another priest in northern Michigan.

The Rev. Sylvestre Obwaka was pastor at St. Ignatius Church in Rogers City when he was arrested in February. He’s charged with first-degree and third-degree criminal sexual conduct against a fellow priest.

Jury selection is starting Tuesday in Presque Isle County.

Defense attorney Matthew Wojda (VOY’-da) says any sexual activity was consensual. Obwaka, a native of Kenya, has been a priest since 2010. He became pastor at St. Ignatius in July 2013.