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Gustavo Óscar Zanchetta (left) in court: allegations denied
Photo: GASTON INDA / AFP
Former Catholic bishop Gustavo Óscar Zanchetta, a confidant of Pope Francis, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison by a court in Argentina for sexual abuse.
Zanchetta was arrested after the verdict was pronounced in a court in Salta in the north of the country, the local prosecutor said.
According to the court, the bishop emeritus of Orán sexually abused several priest candidates.
During the trial, according to the newspaper La Nación, witnesses reported that Zanchetta had requested "massages" and had "preferences" for certain candidates for the priesthood.
In addition, "pornographic" photos that were on his cell phone were shown in court.
"We cannot measure the extent of the harm suffered by the victims, but we have a duty to provide them and society with a judicial response," prosecutor Pablo Rivero said.
Zanchetta was also accused of financial mismanagement.
He had denied the allegations.
confidant of Francis
Zanchetta is considered a confidant of Pope Francis.
After the allegations against him became known and he had given up the episcopate in Orán, the 57-year-old worked in the Vatican as a consultant in the asset management of the Holy See.
Francis had rejected criticism of his handling of the case.
Zanchetta defended herself well after the allegations became known.
The spokesman for a victim initiative, Carlos Lombardi, said the verdict was a "heavy blow" for Pope Francis because he had always protected Zanchetta.
ptz/dpa/AP
