A priest accused of stealing money from St. Augustine Church in Seymour repaid about $31,000, the church’s pastor told the congregation Sunday.
The Rev. Honore Kombo was arrested in March by Seymour police and charged with first-degree larceny, a felony.
He has applied for accelerated rehabilitation, a program that could allow the charges against him to be dropped — assuming he complies with any court orders and doesn’t get in trouble again for a specified amount of time.
Kombo is scheduled to appear in court in Milford July 26.
The Rev. Kevin Forsyth replaced Kombo as church pastor.
Forsyth announced during mass and through a newsletter that the church recently received a check from Kombo totaling $31,160.12.
“This draft repays the parish for the funds that were missing as determined during the forensic accounting audit undertaken of the parish’s financial records,” Forsyth said.
“I know I will keep Fr. Kombo in prayer, and I hope you will too,” he said.
Church officials discovered discrepancies in their financial statements in 2015.
Kombo was relieved of his duties at St. Augustine Church on Washington Avenue in July 2015.
Forsyth also said Kombo paid a $25,000 line of credit he opened in the parish’s name, “bringing the balance of that line of credit to zero.”
According to an arrest warrant authored by Seymour detectives, Kombo told authorities the money went toward worthy programs in his native Congo. The priest was allegedly involved with setting up a “microfinance” company, which delivers financial services to people unable to access those services through traditional means.
The programs are popular in developing countries where there aren’t a lot of banks.
Kombo could learn whether he gets accepted into the accelerated rehabilitation program at his July 26 court appearance.
