A French priest under investigation in France and Morocco has defended himself by claiming that the sexual acts he is accused of committing with migrants and refugees in Morocco were “always freely consented to,” divulged the Saint-Étienne prosecutor on Thursday.
The remarks, made during police questioning, are in regards to an inquiry involving adults and a minor over the age of 15 who were under his authority.
The case also involves a complaint lodged with the Casablanca public prosecutor´s office.
The viral case was reported by Enass, a Moroccan news outlet, which said that police received a complaint against Exelmans in May last year, accusing him of sexual abuse.
Exelmans, who returned to France in the summer of 2024 and now lives in the Loire region, was heard by the judicial police in July.
He allegedly had sexual relations with migrants and refugees under his care in Morocco, where he had been assigned by the Diocese of Rennes from 2016 until mid-2024.
The priest told investigators the acts in question occurred between 2020 and 2024 in Rabat and Casablanca.
The allegations were first reported in early November and described as a “system of sexual exploitation.”
A canonical investigation initiated by the Archdiocese of Rabat and forwarded to French authorities indicates that Exelmans may have had sexual relations with several beneficiaries of his assistance, including a minor.
Prosecutor Anne Gasches noted that the information received so far remains “too imprecise and not subjected to contradiction,” prompting the Saint-Étienne prosecutor’s office to submit a request for international judicial cooperation to Morocco.
The Archbishop of Rabat confirmed on November 4 that an internal inquiry was opened within the diocese.
He had previously acknowledged in July 2024 that warnings were raised about the priest’s behavior toward young migrants, which raised concerns about possible abuses.
According to the Diocese of Saint-Étienne, the priest has been barred from all ministry and has been living in a Jesuit community since September 2024.