The principal of Elora Road Christian School and a former pastor of the Elora Road Christian Fellowship Church have been charged in connection with alleged sexual assaults in the 1980s.
School principal Arend “John” Dekorte, 66, of Fergus, was charged with two counts of sexual assault on a child under the age of 16. He was a teacher at the time the alleged assaults took place.
Henry (Henk) Katerberg, 80, of Guelph-Eramosa, was charged with one count of sexual assault on a child under 16. Katerberg, the founder of the church, was pastor at the time of the alleged offences.
Police say the alleged sexual assaults took place between 1981 and 1986 at the church and school, which are located on the same property on Wellington Road 7 north of Guelph.
In a telephone interview on Jan. 17 Dekorte said the charges are unsubstantiated.
“I’m completely innocent,” Dekorte told the Advertiser. “I have not done the thing I’m accused of, but my lawyer says I should not be talking to people.”
Katerberg also professed his innocence on Jan. 17.
“There is not one ounce of truth in this whole story … it’s absolutely not true,” he said, indicating the alleged victim is female.
“I don’t know how this all came about in her life … I mean God loves her … but at the same time this story was birthed in hell.
“And some day … it will be proven but for us who are involved, whether it’s my wife or my children or a whole lot of people that we’ve had the privilege to bring to Jesus, yeah, it’s a sad story.”
The Wellington County OPP Crime Unit began an investigation in early December, likely after someone stepped forward.
“The information is brought to the police, they do an investigation then obviously do a thorough investigation and lay charges if the evidence is there,” said Wellington County OPP spokesperson Cheri Rockefeller.
Elora Road Christian School officials did not initially respond to a message.
Dekorte is to appear in Guelph court on Jan. 31 and Katerberg in Guelph court on Feb. 14.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to contact the Wellington County OPP Crime Unit at 519-846-5930. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a tip online at www.csgw.tips.
