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October 18, 2017 - 4:51 PM
VERNON - A church pastor from Africa who came to B.C. with his wife and kids did not get his wish for a new trial or acquittal.
The man, whose name is under a publication ban to protect the identities of the victims, was convicted of assault and assault with a weapon (a wooden comb) against his children and sexual assault against his wife in Vernon Supreme Court in 2014. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail.
The accused said he struck the young children to “correct” them as a form of discipline. The kids were usually “corrected” for accidents or noise caused by child-play. On one occasion, a child was slapped on the head because he had “messed his pants.” A psychiatric report suggested the accused had no remorse.
The crimes against his wife involved non-consensual, forced and painful sexual activity that left her “terrified.”
On appeal, the man argued the judge failed to properly evaluate the evidence and made factual errors which led him to an unreasonable conclusion. A panel of three Court of Appeal justices felt otherwise. They dismissed the appeal in Vancouver court Oct. 10.
On one occasion, the wife attempted to stop her husband from hitting their daughter with the comb and he responded: “This is the way the Bible tells us to treat children. Otherwise, they will become liars and prostitutes.”
The abuse ended in 2012 when the mother fled with her kids and went to a transition house.
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