Manuel Cely Silva accused of sexual abuse in Bogotá

The Colombian Prosecutor's Office has formally accused Benedictine priest Manuel Cely Silva of sexual abuse involving a six-year-old student. The charges include abusive sexual intercourse and sexual acts with a minor under 14, both of which are aggravated due to the perpetrator's position of authority.

According to investigators, the alleged incidents occurred repeatedly between August 2022 and August 2023 at a monastery adjacent to the Colegio San Carlos in Bogotá, where Cely Silva served as a teacher, chaplain, and monastery director. The prosecution alleges the priest led the child to private areas of the monastery to commit the acts.

The legal process had previously faced delays following a request for nullity of the initial imputation, but the current prosecutor has withdrawn that request to proceed with the trial. Cely Silva, who does not accept the charges, remains free during the proceedings. The Colegio San Carlos, a prominent institution in Colombia, previously received a public reprimand from the Bogotá Secretary of Education for deficiencies in its protocols for handling sexual violence allegations.