Arua priest drags Vicar General to police over assault

Fr Lazarus Ejoyi, the former Kijomoro Parish priest in Arua district is nursing a broken arm and swollen buttocks he reportedly sustained in an attack by Monsignor Kasto Adeti, the Vicar General of Arua Diocese.

Fr Ejoyi says he was talking to his brother on the phone when Monsignor Adeti assaulted him with a club over the weekend.

The incident happened in the Parish priest’s residence at Ediofe Cathedral.

Fr Ejoyi, who was removed by Bishop Ocan Odoki from Kijomoro Parish in 2017 and never been deployed, says Monsignor Adeti assaulted him on grounds that he isn’t supposed to be at the diocese.

He says Monsignor Adeti hit him in the presence of the watchmen and cooks who couldn’t come to his rescue for fear of losing their jobs.

“I was here talking on phone and he came and beat me, threatening me that I should not talk. I ignored him, he went back to his room as I continued to talk and then returned with his walking stick, he hit me three time at my bottom,” Fr Ejoyi said.

He has since filed a case of assault against Monsignor Adeti at Arua Central Police Station. He says this is the fifth time Monsignor Kasto Adeti is attacking him since mid-last year for allegedly declining to vacate the priest’s residence as directed by the Bishop.

In November last year, Monsignor Adeti locked Fr. Ejoyi’s room to stop him from accessing it but it was opened by officers from Arua Central Police station. Police cautioned Monsignor Adeti from trespassing on Fr. Ejoyi’s room, saying he is entitled to stay at the parish or any other place they deem fit for him.

The Vicar speaks out

In his statement, Monsignor Adeti says Fr. Ejoyi was not appointed to work or stay at Ediofe Cathedral Parish Priest’s residence and should find another residence.

Fr. Ejoyi says following Monsignor Adeti’s unsuccessful attempts to evict him, he has now been denied access to the food in the Priest’s dining and lives on fruits he buys with the little money he gets from part time lecturing at Nile University and donation from Friends.

Monsignor Adeti, however, says that he acted out of anger. He says he was provoked by the endless and loud insults directed at him by Fr Ejoyi whenever he speaks on phone.

He explains that on the fateful day he was in his room which is adjacent to the balcony where Fr Ejoyi was seated while he spoke on phone, where he overheard the priest saying that he (Monsignor Adeti) is one of his tormentors.

“When I heard this I came out picked a stick confronted Fr Ejoyi out of anger. I gave him several lashes on the thigh just to stop him from continuing to tell lies and insult us. My intention was not to hurt him,” he said.

Monsignor Adeti also disclosed that Fr Ejoyi had been asked by the Bishop since 2013 to leave Ediofe parish and relocate to Vurra parish but this has since been in vain.

A statement issued by the Rev Sabino Ocan Odoki, the Bishop of Arua diocese says Fr Ejoyi’s stay at Ediofe Cathedral Parish is illegal. He accuses the priest of refusing to take up appointment in Vurra Catholic parish, a claim Fr Ejoyi vehemently denies.

The bishop says the administration of Arua diocese resolved that he or the diocese shall not be held responsible for what happens to Fr Ejoyi since he was posted to Vurra catholic parish but he rejected the appointment.