Potosí court sentences former catechist to 20 years for rape

A criminal court in Potosí, Bolivia, has sentenced 44-year-old Omar T. A. to 20 years in prison for the rape of a 16-year-old adolescent. The defendant, a former local catechist, used his religious position to establish trust with the victim.

According to Potosí Departmental Prosecutor Pablo Manrique Videla, the abuses occurred between September 2024 and January 2025. The perpetrator reportedly manipulated the minor by offering a fake “love spell” ritual to help the victim reconcile with an ex-partner, subsequently using blackmail and threats to continue the sexual assaults.

The conviction was supported by forensic medical certificates, psychological reports, and testimony obtained through the Gesell Chamber. Omar T. A. will serve his sentence at the Santo Domingo de Cantumarca Productive Readaptation Center.