Little Grand Rapids priest accused of sexually assaulting girl, 8

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/05/2023 (893 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A 48-year-old priest from Winnipeg has been accused of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at a Roman Catholic church on a remote Manitoba First Nation — and police believe there may be more victims.

Manitoba RCMP Supt. Scott McMurchy said the priest is alleged to have inappropriately touched the girl after asking her to help clean a church in Little Grand Rapids First Nation on May 27.

The community is about 265 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

The priest, who was alone with the girl at the time, allegedly tried to prevent her from leaving the church afterward, McMurchy said.

“I don’t believe it was terribly long, but it was significant,” he said.

The girl fled to her home and reported the incident to her mom.

Additional potential victims have come forward since the accused, Arul Savari, was arrested in Little Grand Rapids the same day, McMurchy said.

Police believe there could be more victims.

McMurchy said there is a “religious connection” between the accused and the complainants, and some of the potential victims also attended the church.

“Their information is being gathered as we speak,” he said.

Savari, who remained in custody, was charged with sexual assault, sexual interference, sexual exploitation of a young person, child luring and forcible confinement.

A search of Manitoba court records showed he has no convictions in the province.

McMurchy said Savari, who is originally from India, became a priest in Little Grand Rapids after arriving in Canada six years ago.

He has also worked as a priest in Pauingassi First Nation, about 20 kilometres north of Little Grand Rapids. The communities are only accessible by air and winter road.

Savari travelled back and forth from his home in Winnipeg.

“Our colleagues in the Winnipeg Police Service have also been advised of this situation. So any follow-up regarding any activity in Winnipeg will be done by them,” McMurchy said. “If there are victims within Winnipeg or elsewhere… please come forward.”

Savari was a member of the Archdiocese of Saint Boniface in Winnipeg. On Tuesday, church spokesperson Daniel Bahuaud could not confirm whether Savari performed ministerial duties at churches in the city.

The church became aware of the charges against Savari on Monday and immediately suspended him from ministerial activity. Bahuaud was not aware of any pre-existing allegations against the priest, he said.

“Each time the heinous crime of sexual abuse is reported, we must listen attentively and respond compassionately to those who have been victimized and hurt, particularly if the abuser is connected in any way with our church,” the church said in a separate statement.

“In fairness to Fr. Savari, he is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.”

“Each time the heinous crime of sexual abuse is reported, we must listen attentively and respond compassionately.”–Archdiocese of Saint Boniface

Bahuaud could not confirm whether Savari was assigned to work in Little Grand Rapids by church officials, or whether he chose the community himself.

In the archdiocese system, a bishop is typically tasked with selecting where priests will work.

Little Grand Rapids Chief Oliver Owen told the Free Press RCMP alerted him about Savari’s arrest in a text message Sunday morning.

Crown officials initially indicated the priest wouldn’t be held in custody because he does not have a criminal record. That decision was later changed, and Savari was remanded and removed from the community, Owen said.

He and other members of the band council met with residents Tuesday afternoon to discuss the charges.

“We asked the community what they want, and they said (Savari) is not allowed to come back and (the community should) get rid of the church,” Owen said.

The chief said he agrees, and council could pass a resolution barring Savari from Little Grand Rapids, if needed.

He also wants Catholic Church officials to visit the First Nation and apologize.

Owen was not aware of any previous concerns about the priest, who was supposed to lead a service the day after his arrest.

He interacted with Savari only once, during a brief meeting last year, before Pope Francis visited Canada. The band offered to pay for parishioners’ travel to Edmonton for the papal visit.

Owen described the priest as “quiet.”

The chief said he hopes for a jail sentence, if the priest is convicted.

“We asked the community what they want, and they said (Savari) is not allowed to come back and (the community should) get rid of the church.”–Little Grand Rapids Chief Oliver Owen

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Southern Chiefs Organization issued statements Tuesday condemning the alleged assault.

Pauingassi First Nation did not respond to requests for comment.

McMurchy said investigators are looking into Savari’s background and travel. That may include contacting police or other authorities in India, he said.

RCMP held a news conference at its Winnipeg headquarters to share information and appeal for potential victims or people with information to contact investigators.

McMurchy, the acting criminal operations officer for Manitoba RCMP, said he cannot put a figure on the number of potential victims because the investigation is in the early stages.

“The community is aware of an investigation that is ongoing and, as a result of that awareness, other people have contacted the RCMP,” he told reporters.

There was nothing to suggest Savari was previously known to police, McMurchy said.

Provincial victim services workers are currently in the community offering support.

NDP MP Niki Ashton, who represents the area, spoke to Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu in Ottawa after the news broke, a spokesman for Ashton said.

He said Ashton urged the department to do everything necessary to support victims and the communities, making it clear a usual crisis response won’t cut it.

Savari is not the first authority figure to be accused of sexual offences against a child in Little Grand Rapids.

In October 2021, then-chief Raymond Keeper, 66, was charged with sexual assaulting and luring a 16-year-old girl. Keeper died in August 2022 before the case went to court.

In March, retired priest Arthur Masse, 93, was acquitted of indecent assault on a student at the Fort Alexander Residential School sometime between 1968 and 1970 when she was nine or 10 years old.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching