Judge's gavel in courtroom - (Photo: Courtesy).

A high court in Northern Bhar el Ghazal State has convicted a foreign Catholic priest to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two boys in Aweil West County.

30-year-old clergyman Cletus Grush was arrested on the 29^th February 2024 on accusations that he sodomized two altar boys, aged 11 and 13 years respectively.

He is said to have committed the offence at the at Saint Theresa Parish on February 23, 2024.

The priest was found guilty of abusing the minors.

Speaking to Eye Radio earlier on Monday, his defense lawyer said he respects the verdict, but lamented that his client was not cross-examined before the decision.

Advocate Andrew Muor Atak said the prosecutors did not produce any eyewitness before the court to testify to the allegations.

“The court has convicted my client to 14 years in jail. I do respect that verdict but I have my observation and going to appeal against the verdict before the end of 14 days.”

“The doctor was not summoned to court for cross-examining and all the evidence brought against my client in the court is just an allegation there was no eye witness.”

He also criticized the court for using his client’s confession in police as a basis to convict the now disgraced man of God.

“We were not convinced by the court because of section 30 of the South Sudan Evidence Act which says any confession made in a police station shall not be considered a confession by the court.”

Atak said he will he is going to appeal against the court’s verdict.