Arua, Uganda | URN | 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.
According to Fr. Lazarus Ejoyi, he was talking with his brother on phone when Monsignor Adeti assaulted him with a club over the weekend 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.
Fr. Ejoyi has since filed a case of assault against Monsignor Adeti at Arua Central Police Station vide CRB ARCPS/SD Ref: 35/29/04/2020. 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.
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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. Monsignor Adeti declined to comment on the matter saying he was away from the parish.
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.