The Barnabas Fund leader who has fought against Islamic persecution of Christians, was found guilty of a single count of sexual touching (not intercourse or rape) and two counts of intimidating two witnesses following a five day trial. Some observers, including myself, were stunned, including members of his board who had previously found the charges (brought by one employee over a single incident) to be without merit, following an internal investigation, and insisted he stay on as director of the organization. The events took place in February 2014.

Dr. Sookhdeo received the lightest possible sentence a judge could impose, which included three months community service in the form of a curfew -- he must remain at home between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. from Feb. 23 till May 22 and court costs of $4,500. He was not put on the sex offenders' register, contrary to some newspaper reports, which had the case had any real merit would have been. After three years, his record will be expunged. He remains the organization's international director. He only stepped down as a trustee.

Dr. Sookhdeo continues to protest his innocence and has appealed against the sentence.

Therefore it was with great dismay that I read an article in Christianity Today by Ted Olsen titled, "If You See Something, Say Something" which gave the false impression that the Barnabas Fund tried to downplay allegations against Sookhdeo. Olsen appeared to dismiss as worthless the two internal investigations into the sexual touching allegation, conducted by trustees and senior staff with an independent external expert over a period of 14 weeks, involving numerous interviews and 176 pages of written submissions.

I wrote Mr. Galli, Managing Editor of CT, and sent him a 250-word response asking him to correct the record. He rejected it. He also rejected letters by such evangelical luminaries as world-class missiologist Dr. Vinay Samuel, Anglican Bishop Julian Dobbs and the chairman of the international board, and others who sought to correct the CT article, but Mr. Galli refused all submissions saying he had "more information." I challenged him to reveal that information but he refused. I do so again now.

Everything about Dr. Sookhdeo's life was made public including his solid marriage of more than 45 years to his New Zealand born wife and the open door policy he introduced at the Pewsey headquarters of Barnabas Fund. Two weeks earlier, Sookhdeo had introduced a modesty dress policy.

The "touching" as it turned out was little more than brushing of one breast; the Rev. Albrecht Hauser, Chairman of Barnabas Aid International refuted the charges of intimidation. He wrote: "The alleged witness intimidation relates to a short extempore speech made by Dr. Sookhdeo to the entire UK staff and most of the trustees, at a meeting called by the board, which I pressed him to attend (against his inclination) and at which I urged him to speak (also against his inclination). There were over 50 people in a crowded room, and many of us saw no sign of any intention to intimidate witnesses."

The Rev. Hauser, who has been a missionary in Afghanistan and has seen much in the way of the sexual assault on women by Muslim extremists, said sexual assault is a serious matter and it is inexcusable that some church leaders have tried to cover up genuine abuse in the Church. "But false allegations are also serious and have destroyed many ministries and ruined the lives of godly ministers. Mr. Olsen should not downplay this possibility."

Bishop Julian Dobbs, an evangelical bishop with the Anglican Church in North America affiliated with the Anglican Church of Nigeria and a board member of Barnabas Fund, said he had been involved with not one but two internal investigations of Dr. Sookhdeo that included an independent consultant as part of the process. "Neither of these investigations upheld the allegation that was made. Additionally, I was involved in the Barnabas Fund decisions and the action taken after the court ruled. Upon his criminal conviction and sentence Dr. Sookhdeo offered his resignation as a trustee of all boards associated with the Barnabas Fund. The board accepted his resignation. Dr. Sookhdeo maintained his innocence throughout the trial and still does. He was sentenced to a community order and contrary to some media reports, he is not subject to the Sex Offenders' Registration provisions in the United Kingdom."

Dobbs took issue with the Olsen take, "I do not believe that your article represents the Barnabas Fund, Dr. Sookhdeo or the actions of the Board in an accurate manner. Readers of Christianity Today are left to assume that you have dismissed our internal processes of investigation, the decision of Dr. Sookhdeo to resign as a trustee of all boards and our external communications with the Charity Commission of the United Kingdom and that you consider the actions and decisions of Barnabas Fund as an inappropriate response to this situation."

Speaking in a personal capacity, Dr. Vinay Samuel commented, "I am satisfied with the board's judgment that Patrick is innocent of the charges made against him. The judgment of the court sent a mixed message in the very mild sentence he was awarded."

Samuel said there was a conspiracy to destroy Dr. Sookhdeo's ministry and undermine the Barnabas Fund.

Galli wrote back, "We've encouraged the organization to write their concerns in a letter to the editor." They did and he has steadfastly refused to run anything by way of correction or apology.

END