SAN ANTONIO – A former Catholic priest, who was arrested in 2023 on an aggravated sexual assault charge, appeared in court Monday as his attorneys sought access to investigative documents from the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
George Ndungu, a Kenyan native, was assigned to Catholic churches in Bexar County and surrounding areas, including La Vernia, Stockdale and New Braunfels in 2017.
Allegations against Ndungu surfaced after a church employee and parishioner at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, located on the West Side, accused him of misconduct.
A woman in her 70s alleged that Ndungu sexually assaulted her on three separate occasions.
During Monday’s hearing, defense attorney Monica Guerrero argued that not all evidence had been turned over and that the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s records were critical to understanding how its internal investigation was conducted.
“This is essentially a criminal case where they conducted their own investigation, and the records that they are concealing from us are pertinent,” Guerrero said.
The Archdiocese of San Antonio’s attorney, Isaac Huron, countered that the documents are private church matters and should not be subject to court review.
“It prevents us from courts or other parties looking into the internal workings of the church in terms of how it conducts investigations,” Huron said, citing First Amendment protections.
Judge Christine Del Prado said she would review the defense’s request and issue a decision next Monday.
A trial date has not yet been set for Ndungu. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
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