Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine

A 25-year-old pastor, Orane Ellis, who is charged with the carnal abuse of a 14-year-old girl, pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody when he appeared in the St. Catherine Circuit Court yesterday.

The court led evidence that between October 31, 2005 and November 1, 2005, Ellis, who ministered at the Bannister New Testament Church of God, in St. Catherine, allegedly molested five wards of the Yadel Girls' Home situated close to his church.

Several offences

According to arresting officer Inspector Deutress Foster Gardener of the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), the clergyman fondled three of the girls, kissed one of them and had sex with the 14-year-old on at least two occasions.

A subsequent report was made to the centre after one of the children revealed her ordeal and, following investigations, the man of the cloth was taken into custody and charged with four counts of indecent assault and two counts of carnal abuse.

When he appeared before High Court Judge, Justice Ingrid Mangatal, his lawyer, Sean Kinghorne, asked the Crown to accept a guilty plea on the carnal abuse charge. This was accepted. Having done so, the judge then ordered that Pastor Ellis be remanded until February 16 when he will be sentenced.